Ribbons Undone
by ChristianGateFan
Summary: Co-authored with Cleo the Muse. Telling the truth? Vala generally has better things to do. Trapped in a cave-in with Daniel and faced with the reality that she may never have another chance, she shares her colorful past with her nearest and dearest friend
1. Chapter 1

Ribbons Undone by ChristianGateFan and Cleo the Muse  
Rating: Pre-Teen  
Genre: Gen, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Kidfic (Pre-series Vala)  
Synopis: Telling the truth? Vala generally has better things to do. Trapped in a cave-in with Daniel and faced with the reality that she may never have another chance, she shares her colorful past with her nearest and dearest friend.

* * *

Ribbons Undone

The cold of the rock under him bit into Daniel's legs, and the solid wall of their crumbled stone prison pressed into his back. He didn't have his jacket to ward off the temperature; that--along with the only blanket they'd had in their packs--was draped over Vala in hopes of keeping her from going into shock. She lay at his feet, shivering and just starting to come around again, thank goodness. When she'd gone under he'd been afraid he'd lost her.

They hadn't meant for this to happen. They never did. Daniel had heard from the natives down the mountain that there were ruins worth seeing in these caves, and of course he'd wanted to check them out. The natives were peaceful, gentle people, so Daniel was sure he wasn't needed to play diplomat. While the rest of the team stayed in the village doing the PR work, he and Vala headed up the mountains.

Sam, Cam, and Teal'c didn't even know there was anything wrong. Only Daniel's radio had made it through the cave-in intact, but it didn't seem to be working.

Maybe it had something to do with the ten tons of fallen rock blocking their exit from the cave.

The people of the village had told them about the ruins and artifacts here, but they hadn't mentioned that the cave systems were unstable. Daniel didn't think they'd meant any harm; maybe they just didn't know.

The others would eventually realize that they were missing, and come looking. They would find them at some point, dig them out, or send for the _Odyssey_ to beam them out... whichever would take less time.

Daniel didn't know if Vala had time.

He knocked his head back against the rock. It didn't help. Standing, he moved away from Vala and started pulling at the rocks again. After only a moment, rubble started raining down again, warning him to stop trying to get out on his own. He ducked and ran back to Vala, sinking back to the ground beside her again.

"This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't insisted we come here," he growled at himself.

"—t's not your fault..."

The weak voice jarred him out of his self-loathing party and made him focus. "Vala... hey," he sighed in relief. "You're awake."

She tried to shift and stopped abruptly, grimacing. "That fact is painfully obvious."

He put out a hand to still her movements. "Whoa, easy... don't hurt yourself. Stay still."

"That won't be a problem," she breathed. She clenched her eyes shut and opened them again over and over, and the fist he could see flexed and relaxed, flexed and relaxed. Nothing else moved; it probably hurt enough just lying there. Even though there was no way for him to know now what the extent of the internal damage was, he didn't have to wonder why she was hurting. He glared over her at the slab of rock beside her that had landed across her midsection and crushed one of her legs. There was no telling how much damage _that_ had done.

Before he was aware it had happened, Daniel's throat clogged. "How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, just peachy," she joked weakly. She stopped blinking and her eyes started to drift shut again.

"Vala," he said sharply.

They opened again, a little more alert than before. She tilted her head a little to see him better. "What?" she asked innocently.

"Don't fall asleep," he instructed firmly. "You almost didn't wake up this time; I don't want to lose you, understand?"

She looked almost like she was going to laugh. "And just how am I supposed to stay awake like this?"

He winced. "Look... why don't you try talking about something?"

"Like what?" she snorted.

Daniel wracked his brain, but in his current worried mental state came up with nothing specific. "I don't know... why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Vala looked at him strangely. "What's there to tell?"

"Well, you could start at the beginning... you know, where you were born, your home planet maybe... none of us have ever heard much about before Qetesh...you know."

"For good reason..." she sighed. "You don't want to hear about my life on my home planet... or anything else before or after Qetesh, really."

"If it keeps you alive by keeping you awake, I want to hear every word."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure you do."

Daniel squinted in frustration. "Vala, please, work with me here, will you?"

She gave a weak, but exaggerated sighed. "Fine... whatever... the beginning?"

"The beginning."

Vala gave a little smirk. "Well, for starters... I wasn't born 'Vala Mal Doran.'"

Daniel blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Nope..." She laughed a little, sounding almost as if she were doped up on some good pain medication. "No, when I was born on my backwater little home planet, my name was Vala Sen Jacek."

He frowned. "Jacek is your father's name."

"Exactly. The name I was given at birth _means_ 'Vala, daughter of her father, Jacek.' Doran was my mother's name, if that tells you anything."

She was right; it didn't take long to figure that one out. "Right..." He fell silent for a moment. "When did you change it? Why?"

"Do I even have to answer the second question? And as for the first, well, you're the one who wanted me to start at the beginning. You'll just have to wait until I get there."

Daniel sighed and smiled just a little. "All right... I'm listening."

"Good." She hesitated for a long moment before continuing quietly. "I guess I should start with my mother. Everything I know of my life and my parents' history before I can remember I know from her. Jacek was never around enough to regale me with stories of the past like mother would: late at night when I couldn't sleep, or earlier in the evening when she was trying to get me to sleep." Vala smiled a small, wistful smile. "She used to tell me that she always dreamed I would be very important one day. I don't know where she got it, but she insisted she saw it in her dreams when she slept... her daughter having a wonderful life, no matter how humble my beginnings... and goodness knows they _were_ humble."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Vala winced and sighed. "Well, I skipped ahead. Those story times didn't come until I was older. Back to the beginning..."

* * *

CGFs note: Don't flip; I'm still working on my other stories-in-progress at the moment. And besides, this one is _co_-authored, so I'm not doing all the work. ;) And I'm having a blast! So anyway, see you back here again, I hope; this is going to be something of a long one! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here you go--chapter two after one week. Hopefully we should be able to post once a week. But anyway, enjoy! And thank you so much for reviewing!

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Chapter 2

_Well, the beginning always starts with being born, which I don't remember, thank goodness. You've met Jacek, my good-for-nothing father, but my mother was a beautiful, compassionate woman name Doran Sen Adell, and Jacek didn't deserve her._

"There's my girl! Dori, darling, what have you been feeding this young lady? I swear she gets bigger every time I see her!" The tall, dark-haired man bent low, swooping up the four year old girl and hoisting her onto one hip, grinning broadly as she shrieked in mad glee. "Sweetheart, you'll never guess what I brought for you!"

Her little mouth opened in a surprised little 'oh', gray eyes sparkling. "Did you bring me a shiny, Daddy?"

Chuckling, he tapped her on the tip of her nose. "You bet I did, sweetheart." A flick of his wrist later, a sparkling piece of cheap jewelry dangled before his daughter's eyes as if by magic. Squealing with delight, the girl wriggled out of her father's hold and swept back her mess of black hair so that the necklace could be clasped in place. Once done, her father gave her a pat on the top of her head, kissed her forehead, then patted her lightly on the rear.

"Now scoot off so your mother and I can talk grown-up stuff!"

She nodded and flung her arms around his neck while he was still bent down, then raced outside to play again.

"If you were curious, she gets bigger nearly every time you see her because children grow quickly, and you only see her every few weeks," came the commentary from across the room.

"Now, Dori..."

She nodded and flung her arms around his neck while he was still bent down, then raced outside to play again.

"You're back early," Doran Sen Adell commented dryly, vigorously scrubbing tubers in preparation for the evening meal. "You've been gone only... what? Two weeks?"

Her husband, Jacek, opened his arms wide. "I caught a bit of an early break, darling! The local government simply loved the irrigation pumps I was selling to their farmers and decided to take them all!"

Despite herself, Doran laughed. "Confiscated your defective goods and ran you off-world, did they?"

Jacek affected a wounded expression. "And to think I was giving every customer a special discount, too." Stepping up behind his wife, he threw his arms around her shoulders and peered into the wash basin. "Root vegetables again? Darling, my daughter is going to turn into a quill-pig."

"Roots are cheap, _darling_," Doran replied, shrugging his arms off and resuming her work. "If you would take up a normal occupation, 'your' daughter would be able to have fruit and meat on a regular basis."

"Fruit and meat will be on the table tomorrow!" Jacek vowed.

She shifted the roots to a pot of water. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

"Of course, I will," he answered, batting her hands away from the handle. "I'll get this, Dori my dear, don't strain yourself."

Doran rolled her eyes as her husband theatrically grunted while moving the cast iron pot to the hook hanging over the fire. That was Jacek, though, and as much as she loved him, he exasperated her to no end. Her father had called him "an incurable wastrel", and though Doran would never admit it to his face, Adell had been right.

In a fit of teenage superiority, she'd run off with Jacek anyway, and happily married him with the blessings of the first village priest they met. The giddy young couple then began a whirlwind exploration of towns and planets, Jacek's considerable powers of persuasion and deception earning them meals and lodging wherever they went. Doran had loved every minute of it, batting her eyelashes and swaying her slender figure whenever Jacek needed an attractive distraction for whomever he was swindling.

When she discovered she was pregnant, Doran suddenly realized that the vagrant life she was leading was no way to raise a child. She pled with Jacek to settle down for the sake of their son or daughter, and for a time he did. He took a job with a local butcher, and though he often came home reeking of animal entrails, there was always food on the table and a warm fire in the hearth.

Their daughter's birth had been a joyous occasion. "Why, Dori, she's a spitting image of her beautiful mother!" Jacek had exclaimed lovingly. At that moment, she had truly believed she, Jacek, and their daughter and possibly future children could live happily that way, that they had a bright future ahead of them. Then, she'd thought anything was possible.

But less than a few weeks after Vala was born, Jacek returned to their simple cottage with eyes alight, telling tales of a pair of merchants who'd passed through the village that day. They were bound for the _chappa'ai_, they'd said, and had invited Jacek to come along! In fact, Jacek had already told the butcher he wouldn't be returning to work, and promised the traders he'd meet them in the morning.

Thus began three years of extended off-world trips and infrequent visits with his wife and daughter. If not for the pittance earned from her efforts at the loom, Doran and Vala might have long-since starved. She quickly learned how to budget the largesse Jacek bestowed upon them between "business trips", extending food and money for as long as she could. Vala, with the cheerful innocence of the young, never seemed to notice how there was always more food on the table after her Poppa dropped by, and even if she did, it only added to the glowing image she no doubt had of her father.

An image Jacek only encouraged by bringing her cheap trinkets after each of his excursions.

It was only recently, in this last year, that he had begun to come by more often, since Vala had begun to take to him so. Now that she was old enough to be vocal with her admiration of her father, Jacek seemed to bask in it. Now he never returned without one of those ridiculous pieces of jewelry.

Doran crossed her arms as she watched him. "Jacek, unlike Vala, I can't be bought with a new 'shiny'. There's only so much cloth I can weave in a week, and sometimes I have to have Vala spin thread so that we can afford to put food on the table!"

"My daughter is having to _work?_" Jacek gasped in mock-horror. "Oh, no, Dori, that simply won't do at all."

"Then you'll stay?" she demanded, more softly this time.

Jacek took her hands in his. "I'll stay."

_The next day, just as he promised, we had fresh fruit and meat at every meal. Jacek took us both into the town, where he bought us material for dresses, ribbons for our hair, and other gifts, proving my mother _could_ be bought with "shinies". It was like your Tau'ri Christmas for us, and I was convinced my father could do no wrong._

* * *

Vala smirked. "He stayed almost a month that time--a record for him. By the time the traders he had been working with returned--wondering where he was--and carted him off on another long trip, I wasn't too upset to see him go. I assumed he'd be back soon, though of course he wasn't. But then I was too caught up in my new things to notice.

"I didn't see how disappointed mother was," she sighed. "But she finished making the new clothes, and when the little school in our village began that fall, I was five and finally old enough to go. I was sure I would be the best-dressed little girl there."

Daniel smiled, encouraging her to continue. "How did that work out?"

"Well, I was right about having the best clothes. Unfortunately, that only helped me for a little while."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

She winced, seeming to be a little uncomfortable with the next part. "Well..."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for you're nice reviews ya'll! It helps so much to be hearing from you on this new endeavor. Anyway, enjoy this new chapter and have a great day!. :)

Chapter 3

_In case you haven't noticed, Daniel, I don't have the smallest nose—aristocratic, you Tau'ri call it. The thing is, it was almost this size when I was a child, and my mother always said I had "a nose to grow into". I suppose, except for that, I was a reasonably cute child, but I wasn't pretty, to say the least. Either way you looked at it, the only thing the other children saw was the great big 'thing' in the middle of my face..._

"Hey, look at the new girl!" one of the older boys called. There was a long moment of silence as the other children turned to stare. Vala flushed in embarrassment and turned her head away.

Bad move.

"Wow! What's that on her face?" another one asked.

"Looks like a beak!"

"More like a snout."

"Horse-face!"

Vala found her desk again and sat down. She refused to look at them. It was only the second week of school, and already everyone knew her--by the names she was called.

Another girl her age across the aisle whispered to a friend. "She thinks she's so pretty in that dress, but she forgot about her nose."

"It's so long, she can probably clean the wash basin with it!" the second girl giggled back. Either they didn't think she could hear them, or they whispered loud enough for her to catch it on purpose. Well she could certainly hear them.

Her eyes filled with tears, and Vala wiped them away clumsily and opened the old, small reader all of the new students had been assigned copies of the first day. She couldn't read any of it yet, but it hid her face.

She had looked forward to coming to school. It was supposed to be fun, Mother had said. She'd said it would be good for her to learn, that she would like it. Vala had believed her, of course. And she hadn't been wrong. They'd already begun to learn the names and sounds of a few of the squiggles called letters that she saw in books, which made up words, and how they were related to speech, and it had been fun. They'd learned a little bit about numbers, too, but she already knew those, thanks to Mother. Still, for the first days she had loved coming to school. She wanted to learn more. She wanted to be able to read and write like Mother.

But then the other kids had taken more notice of her face, and the teasing had set in. Some of the older ones could be so mean...

She sniffed, but tried not to cry. That would only make them make fun of her more. Thankfully, the teacher stood at that moment and called the class to attention. Vala stuffed her cloth bag that contained her lunch under her desk and turned to the front.

The small one-room school was held in an upstairs room over a store, and was taught by the daughter of the merchant who owned the establishment below. There was a small fee involved, but Mother insisted on paying it.

"You're a smart girl, Vala. You can be whatever you want to be, and I'm going to see to it that you get the chance," she told her.

That afternoon, Vala was one of the first to pound down the wooden steps and out onto the street. But two of the boys that had been calling her names that morning were close behind her.

"Where you running to so fast, horse-face?"

"Home to mommy?"

Both of them were at least seven, maybe even eight. They were so _big_. But Vala turned to face them and glared. "My mother is smart! She already taught me how to count to a thousand! You can't do that!"

The first one smirked. "Of course I can. I can count to a _million_. But don't feel bad. You're ugly; that means you can't be very smart, either!" He came closer, and Vala backed up.

"Leave me alone! If you hurt me, my Daddy will get you!"

"What daddy?" The second boy taunted. "Everybody knows you don't have one."

"I do too!" she screeched. "I have the best daddy in the whole village!"

The first one came closer again and sneered at her. "I know who your dad is, and he's never here. You might as well not have one."

"Stop it! You don't know anything! You're just a big stupid _boy_!"

He stepped in front of her and got right in her face. "You wanna say that again, horse-face?"

Vala glared venomously up into his face.

"Leave her alone, Wega."

The voice came from behind the boys, and the two of them turned. It was another boy, but this one was bigger, maybe nine or ten. Both of the younger boys stared at him.

"You heard me. Leave the girl alone," he told them firmly. "Get out of here."

The other two started to move, not looking very happy, but still they hesitated.

"Now!" This time the command was more forceful, and they scurried off, shouting back obscenities angrily. The new boy just shook his head in disgust and turned to Vala.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said quickly.

"You're Vala, right? One of the new kids this year?"

She nodded silently.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

She glared at him all of a sudden. "What do you care? Aren't you going to make fun of me too?"

The boy's eyebrows hiked up. "No. Why would I?"

"Because my nose is too long," she mumbled miserably, staring at the ground.

"So? Everybody's different. There's nothing wrong with it. They're just kids; they don't understand. That's why they make fun of you. They don't know any better."

She looked up at him curiously. "Who told you that?"

"My father." He came closer and held out a hand. "I'm Evan."

Vala looked at his hand for a long moment before taking it and shaking once. "Hi."

"Hi," he smiled. His dark eyes sparkled under thick brown hair. "Nice to meet you."

She found herself smiling a little, but then realized that Mother had told her not to waste time coming home. "You too...but...I have to go now..." She was already backing up and turning.

"All right. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Bye!"

Evan waved as she ran off, and soon she was around the corner and on her way home. It took a little while to get to their cottage just outside of town, and Mother was already working hard at the loom when she got there. She set her books on the table and silently went to sit beside her, in front of the small box spinning wheel on the floor.

"Hello, Vala," she smiled as her daughter sat. "How was school today?"

Vala shrugged and started to spin.

Doran stopped what she was doing. "Vala...something's wrong. What is it?"

"Nothing..."

"Now, don't give me that. What's wrong?"

"Well, nothing right _now_..."

Her mother raised an eyebrow. "And what does that mean?"

Vala stopped spinning and looked at the floor. "The kids at school...they've been teasing me."

"Whatever for?"

Unconsciously one of her hands crept up toward her face. "My nose."

Doran sighed and turned toward her daughter. "Come here." She gathered Vala into her arms and sat her on her lap sideways so she could look at her good. "You know what you have? A nose to grow into," she told her, tapping her nose with her forefinger.

"What do you mean?" Vala blinked up at her.

"I mean that it's nothing to be ashamed of. It will fit just fine when you're all grown up. You'll see."

"But that means I have to wait," she frowned.

Doran kissed her forehead. "Yes, but you can do it. You're a good girl; I know you are."

"Oh…" Vala lowered her eyes again, and picked at the hem of her new dress. "But, I….but…well…"

"What else is there?"

The girl sighed. "I was happy when Daddy bought us the stuff for our dresses, and stuff," she said, and reached up to stroke one of the blue ribbons in her hair. "Except for my nose, my new dresses make me look pretty, and that's good…" Her lips pursed in silent contemplation for a moment. "But I'm not happy anymore. I should be happy, but I'm not happy anymore--not when the kids at school are mean."

Doran nodded knowingly, and shifted her daughter in her lap. "Vala, happiness is not something you can buy. That's why it only makes you happy for a little while when you get something new. Sure, that's something to be happy about, but it doesn't last as long as true happiness."

"Well…what is that?"

Her mother looked thoughtful, reflective. "Let's see. Happiness is the sun shining softly on a beautiful summer day. It's laughing with good friends. It's…feeling good about yourself no matter what others say, because you know you're doing the right thing. It's family and those close to you, and it's spending a day with my favorite little girl," she chuckled, tickling her for moment. Vala laughed and tried to get away, but Doran stopped and reeled her back in to hold her close.

"True happiness is love, Vala," she whispered in her ear. "Always remember that." There was a moment of comfortable silence as Vala snuggled into her mother's arms, until Doran finally continued.

"Anyway; you see all the other children with their smaller noses? Well, when they grow up, why, your nose will fit perfectly, and theirs will be too small! Then where will they be? Just remember not to make fun of them when the time comes. That isn't nice."

Vala grinned. "Really?"

She smiled. "Trust me, Vala; you're going to grow up into a beautiful young lady. Just remember that, and what they say won't bother you so much. In a few years, any of the boys who are teasing you will be swooning when you walk by!"

"Was it like that for you, Mother?"

Doran looked just a bit wistful for a smallest fraction of a second. "Mmhmm," she nodded, tapping the end of her own nose. "That's how I know. I was just like you when I was your age."

Vala giggled and pulled out of her mother's grasp to kiss her cheek. "Thank you, Mother. I love you."

"I love you too, Vala."

_That was when the story times began, when Mother realized that I was growing up and beginning to have insecurities. Even more than when I was too small to care about anything, I think those were the happiest years of my life. They weren't without their difficulties, but I had Mother, and at the time I still thought I had a wonderful father. That was enough for me._


	4. Chapter 4

Whoops! I think it's been longer than a week this time...maybe I didn't actually upload on Wednesday last time. Hmm...Anyway, here ya go! And thanks so much for reviewing!

Chapter 4

"I think I like your mother already," Daniel offered honestly.

Vala smiled. "You _would_ have liked her, Daniel. I wish you could have met her. I know she would have _loved_ you. She always wanted me to end up with a strong, loving, and hopefully handsome man who would protect me and provide for me..." She trailed off suggestively and Daniel felt himself turn pink.

"Well..."

"Nevermind," she sighed. "You don't have to answer that."

"Good."

"Anyway...I've talked enough. Why don't you tell me about _your_ parents?"

Daniel shook his head. "Vala, right now listening to me talk would probably just put you to sleep faster. I think you need to keep talking."

"Do I have to?" she asked tiredly.

"Yes," he snapped, maybe a little more harshly than he'd meant. But it was only out of worry.

Vala winced. "You know, I complain about having a low-life father and losing my mother at a young age, but you didn't have either of your parents as long as I did. I am sorry about that..."

"Thanks," he said quietly. "But maybe you should keep going. You're looking sleepy again."

"Right...Well, it wasn't too much longer before Jacek finally showed his face again..."

* * *

_By then I'd all but forgotten about the teasing, thanks to Mother. When Jacek returned the next time, I was more focused on showing him what I had learned in my first few weeks of school. Believe it or not, I was already ahead of the other students my age. That was quickly forgotten, however, when I saw what he'd brought for me that time._

"And this one is 'b', and that word is 'bed'," she announced proudly. Vala pointed out several more words, and then read a couple of simple sentences to her father. "See!" she beamed as she set the reader down on the table. "I can read, Daddy!"

"That's my girl! You're getting there, sweetheart," Jacek told her proudly. He swept her up into the air and spun once before setting her down again, grinning as she laughed. Then he looked thoughtful. "Now let's see. I _think_ someone around here had a birthday while I was gone, but I just can't seem to remember _who_..."

Vala bounced up and down, smiling.

"Now who was it?"

The girl was barely able to contain herself giggling, and Jacek made of a show of finally noticing her excitement. "Was it _you_, Vala?"

"Yes!"

He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Well then! In that case, I have something for you, my dear!" He threw his wife a look across the kitchen. "I think even you will like this, Dori. I'll be right back! You stay here, Vala."

"Awww..."

Doran smirked a bit and shook her head in something between amusement and annoyance. "Do what your father says, Vala."

Vala climbed up onto a chair to wait, and Jacek disappeared down the hallway toward where he kept his things. The girl squirmed impatiently for a moment that seemed like an eternity until her father reappeared, hiding a lump under his brightly-colored jacket. She jumped off the chair immediately, eyes wide and sparkling. She could already see that whatever it was was larger than the usual gifts she received.

Jacek, however, made a show of drawing it out.

"You see, Vala sweetie, I was on this wonderful little world called Marinet--such a pretty place; I'll have to take you there sometime--and I came across a trader who had quite a few things I thought you'd like. Well, I couldn't just pick _one_. And then I needed something to _put_ them in of course, and it just so happened he sold something to help me out there too..."

Dramatically he swept one flap of his jacket aside and pulled out a beautifully crafted wooden box, stained a brilliant cherry. A silver plate with a punched design decorated the top, and a carved silver clasp held the box closed. Jacek showed his gaping daughter how to open the box, and she saw the inside was a velvety black, with small hooks on the underside of the flip-up top to hold jewelry. There were already three or four pieces inside.

Vala lifted each one out and looked at it for a moment. The one cute yet simple bracelet she slipped on her wrist immediately. "Daddy, they're all so pretty! And I never had a pretty box before..." She said in wonder, running her hand over the soft black material on the inside.

"Now you have somewhere to keep all your little things. You like it?"

"I do, I do!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck when he bent over. "Thank you so much, Daddy!"

Jacek chuckled and extracted her arms from him. "Careful, sweetheart. Let me put the box down before you attack me."

"Sorry," Vala giggled, letting go. She took the box and set it on the table. Doran came over from the wash basin, curious for once to see this thing Jacek had brought home. Vala closed the box carefully, and her mother looked at it as she headed for her room. "I'll go get the rest!"

She scampered back to her little room at the end of the small cottage, and crawled under her bed to gather up the trinkets her father had given her in the past. Happily she ran back to the large main room--which served as kitchen, dining room, weaving room, and living room all in one--where her parents waited.

"-it's beautiful, Jacek," her mother was saying. It was rare to hear her complimenting him; not that Vala paid much attention. The girl hurried up to the table and opened the box again. She hardly even realized that her parents stopped talking and watched her.

Vala set the box down on a chair where she could reach it more easily and put her other small pieces of jewelry in the box, arranging them meticulously before stepping back in satisfaction to observe her handiwork. "There!" she said proudly.

"That's great, Vala!" Jacek praised.

Doran came around the table and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "Very nice. Now how about you go find a place in your room for it?"

"Okay," she grinned, and went to run back to her room with it.

"Oh, oh, hold up, sweetie; one of your ribbons is loose." Jacek tugged her back gently by a trailing ribbon end, and retied the bow around one of her pigtails. "There. Now get going," he teased.

_Jacek didn't leave immediately that time either. As usual, he had someone to hide from for a while--not that I knew it at the time. Back then, all I knew of his travels was that he had to do it for his "job" and he was "very sorry" he couldn't spend more time at home. I loved that box he gave me, and whenever he was gone I treasured it even more. From that day on, I pulled it out every night before I went to bed, and I looked at the things in it before I went to sleep and sent out a little wish that he would be home soon._

* * *

Vala was silent for a long moment after that, until Daniel finally asked quietly if she was all right.

She hesitated. "I'm all right..." She trailed off and grimaced. "I lied to Jacek. That shouldn't be such a big deal, as many times as he's lied to me, but..."

Daniel frowned. "But what? What are you talking about?"

She closed her eyes. "When he was on Earth, Daniel. I told him I'd thrown that box away years ago."

"You didn't?" he asked in surprise.

"No... it's under my bed at the SGC as we speak."

"Oh..."

"Maybe I'll show it to you if I make it back. If not, then keep it to remember me by. But Daniel... if you ever see Jacek again, just tell him that. I still don't forgive him in the least, but I suppose he should know that," she told him groggily.

"Vala, stop talking like that," he scowled.

"I'm just trying to be realistic," she said, opening her eyes to look at him again.

Daniel forced himself to stay calm, and spoke gently. "You'll be fine. Just keep talking. What happened after that?"

Vala stared at the cave ceiling above her as if seeing the past. "Oh, Jacek hung around for a week or so, and he never went into town of course, or he risked being found. Sometimes he told us when he was going to leave, and sometimes he didn't."


	5. Chapter 5

Whoops! I'm a day late. I was up late last night making a music video..._Anyway_, here you go. I hope you like it, and have a great week!

Chapter 5

_A part of me was always hurt by the fact that Jacek wasn't around very much, though I didn't really even notice it myself until I was a little older. But at that age, all I wanted was to hear of the places he went to._

Vala pounced on the small butterfly, but it escaped her grasp and fluttered away on the breeze. She huffed and picked up the wildflowers she had picked in the meadow behind their cottage, and went back to picking.

When she tired of that, Vala ran back to her mother, who was sitting on a bench outside the back door mending clothes and keeping an eye on her. "Here you go, Mother!" she announced proudly, holding out the flowers.

Doran held a finger to her lips to quiet the girl down. Then she set what she was working on on her lap and took the large bundle of small flowers, looked them over and smiled. "These are beautiful, Vala. As soon as your father wakes up I'll find something to put them in; how's that?"

"Okay," Vala nodded happily. She hopped up on the bench beside her mother. "Why does Daddy sleep so late sometimes?"

"I really don't know," Doran sighed, picking up her mending again. "Because he's your father, I suppose."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, Vala."

"Huh?"

"Vala... please go play."

The girl pouted. "But there's nothing else to do out here."

"Well, you could go down to the stream, or actually catch that butterfly you've been chasing on and off all morning. But if you do that, be careful. Don't hurt it."

Vala leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. "Okay... I guess I could do that."

"Or you could come here and let Daddy tell you a story!"

She jumped up. "Daddy!" Jacek stood in the back doorway, arms wide open. Vala ran into them and he swooped her up.

"Hey! How's my girl?"

"I'm fine. Good morning, Daddy," she said, hugging him around the neck. "How are you?"

"I'm great, sweetheart. You want me to finish the story I started for you last night?"

"Yes! Then another one!"

"Well, we'll see about that. But first, how about some breakfast, Dori dear?"

Doran raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean lunch, Jacek dear, and you know where the food is."

"Of course, of course," he said, and set Vala down so he could wrap his arms around Doran instead. "Would you like anything, darling?"

She kissed him on the cheek to satisfy him. "I'd like to get back to my work, if you don't mind."

"Right, sorry." He shrugged and let go. "Come on, Vala, sweetie, let's go rustle up some grub."

_He spent most of that day with me; something he didn't do often. When we woke up the next morning to find him gone again, it was obvious why. That's really all that happened in my early years. More of the same... until I was nine. That was when Jacek brought me through the Stargate for the first time._

Vala woke to the feeling of dead weight pushing down the foot of her bed, and sat up immediately. "Daddy?" She grinned when she saw she was right; her father was asleep at the foot of her bed, sprawled across the end and half hanging off. She started to giggle, but smothered it when she realized it was a little loud, and it was still dark. Mother would still be sleeping.

She pulled her legs out from under the covers and crawled to the end of the bed, where she started to poke her father. "Daddy..." she whispered. "Come on, Daddy, wake up! Come on..." She shook him, and finally he jerked into consciousness, almost falling off the bed.

"Wha! Whoa..." He twisted and sat up, rubbing his head. "Vala?"

"Shh!" she scolded, giggling at the same time.

Jacek glanced around the dark room, then smiled at her and lowered his voice. "Sorry, sweetheart. I didn't expect you to wake up until morning."

"It's okay. When did you get home?"

"Just a couple of hours ago, actually. I didn't want to bother your mother, so I camped out in here. Besides, you don't mind, do you?" he grinned.

"Nope!" She wrapped her arms around him. "Where'd you go this time, Daddy?"

"Oh, a lot of places, sweetie. But I can tell you about them tomorrow. You should get some more sleep."

Vala pouted. "But Daddy...I don't want to wait until morning. Tell me now!"

Jacek ruffled her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Not right now, Vala."

She pulled away with a yelp. "Dad! I'm not three anymore!"

"Well, excuse me," he said, hands on hips.

Vala sighed. "Okay, if I go back to sleep will you tell me everything in the morning?"

"You bet!"

She sighed burrowed back under her blankets. "Okay...good night," she yawned.

By the time Vala woke again, sun was creeping through her window, and her father was no longer in her room. She climbed out of bed and ran into the main room, and found both of her parents there. Doran was sitting at the table, and Jacek was standing in front of her. It looked as if they had been talking. Why was he frowning?

She never found out. Jacek turned and smiled when he saw her. "Vala sweetie! There you are. I've got a surprise for you."

Vala grinned and scuttled over. "What? What?"

He hunkered down in front of her, though he didn't have to go as far anymore. "Well, this time instead of bringing something back for you dear, I'm going to take you off-world with me for today."

She gasped with delight. "Really!"

"Yep! I know you've never been through the _chappa'ai_ before, but don't worry. It's not so scary. It's kind of fun! And we're going to Marinet, that little planet I've told so much about, with the twin suns. Do you think you'll like that?"

"I think so," she nodded eagerly. Then she paused. "As long as we don't get back too late. I have to look over my school lessons for tomorrow."

Doran smiled proudly at that, and Jacek gave her a pat on the back. "Ahh yes, my little scholarly daughter. You're going to be smarter than me if you're not careful." He moved off and kissed Doran on the cheek, then spoke to Vala again. "If you don't want to be too late getting home, then go get dressed and grab something to eat; then we've got to get going."

"Okay; I'll be right back."

_I found out later that the only reason Jacek actually agreed to take me anywhere that day was because Mother was tired and feeling badly, and needed time to rest. She loved me more than anything, but I _was_ a piece of work._

_Don't look at me like that._

_Anyway, I think that day was the beginning of the end of the happy years of my life. _

* * *

Vala ignored Daniel's questioning looks and pressed on. "I suppose that day _was_ fun. I certainly thought so at the time. I was practically bouncing on my toes by the time I was ready to go. Mother kissed me goodbye, and I think I skipped the entire way past the village to the Stargate. It was just up a hill on the other side."

Daniel shifted where he was sitting. "So...what happened?"

"Not a lot at first, beyond my being fascinated to be on another planet. It really was a pretty planet, and the place he took me was one of those quaint little 'Gate-side market towns. There were booths everywhere. By the end of the day I'd lost track of how many useless trinkets Jacek bought me that day. He let me pick out a few for Mother, too. For a while I was convinced it was the most wonderful place in the galaxy, and that my father was the best there was just for bringing me there. But..." She shrugged a little. "Well, that changed quickly enough."

"What do you mean?"

"That, Daniel, was the day I began to become disillusioned with my father. It's also the day I became interested in the sort of life you found me in when we first met. A lot happened that day."

He had that sympathetic and caring look on his face already. That face could drive her crazy sometimes. Vala continued quickly, so she could focus on something else.

"Being outdoors on that planet was wonderful for a nine year-old girl who liked pretty things. There were a number of places to buy whatever one could want. But then, of course, there were the other establishments--the pubs and tavern--places people like my father found much of their business. Of course, as your bars on Earth do, they also sold typical food, so that was where we went for lunch. I was uncomfortable there at first. It was crowded and dark, and I suppose a bit frightening.

"But maybe as a testament to my future, I got used to it quickly. Soon I was fascinated with the myriad of aliens and shady types that we didn't see so much of in our own villages. I wanted to know what they were all doing. I had no idea at the time that my father was one of them, though I did wonder how he could mingle with them all so comfortably."

"Was that all that happened?"

Vala smirked. "Oh, of course not. Jacek hadn't had a chance to screw up yet."


	6. Chapter 6

Well, I'm about to head off to writing camp for a week tomorrow, so I'm uploading this chapter early since I won't be able to post again until I'm back. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

_After lunch, we went back out for a little while. We even went up in the grassy hills around the town, where he let me play a little... expel some of that childish energy. He played _with _me, too. We were rolling around, laughing and happy. I hadn't had such a good day in a long time. But that was only the calm before the storm, so to speak._

Vala grabbed her father's hand and led the way, running back down the hill toward the town. "Come on, Daddy, hurry up!" she laughed. "Where are we going next?"

"Well, that's really about it, sweetheart," he told her as they slowed at the edge of town. "Unless there's anything you want to go back and look at again."

She thought for another moment and then shook her head. While she'd seen plenty of things she still wanted investigate more closely, she wasn't sure her Daddy would be willing to explore every alley and corner in the marketplace. Instead, she smiled and patted the beautifully woven bag he'd bought her just a few hours before to hold everything _else_ she'd gotten that day. "I have enough," she giggled.

Jacek laughed and fingered one of the straps over her shoulder. "And now even your lunch will be pretty," he teased, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Daaaaddy!" she groaned. "So do we have to go home now?"

"Not quite yet: Daddy's got some business to take care of first. It shouldn't take too terribly long. Don't worry; you'll be home in time to do your studying."

"Okay," she sighed. "Business where?"

"Oh, around." He didn't answer further, so her curiosity remained piqued as she followed him back through the town and straight to the tavern where they'd eaten. But instead of going in, he led her around to a back door, where he swiftly knocked. A few moments later, the door was answered by a middle-aged woman wearing a well-used apron and a kerchief over her hair.

"Ah, Alena! How good to see you," Jacek grinned winningly.

The woman planted her hands on her hips. "There you are, Jacek. I saw you inside earlier and wondered why you didn't say hello. What are you up to this time?"

Jacek acted wounded. "Up to? Why would you think such a thing? No, I have some business to attend to, that's all. It won't take long--only an hour or two at the most--but I was wondering if I might leave Vala here with you."

That was when the woman--Alena, apparently--noticed the dark-haired girl at Jacek's side. "Oh, hello dear. You must be Vala, then. Was it you sitting with your father for lunch?"

Vala nodded. "Yes. Hello."

"I'll pay you a little something for watching her, of course..."

Alena rolled her eyes. "Oh, Jacek, I'm not going to make you pay for doing something I have to do every day anyway. Besides, you don't _really_ want to give me any money, and you know it."

"Oh, now don't say that. I'd be glad to," Jacek protested. He started to reach into a pocket, and she shooed him back, stopping him.

"Oh, no, you don't. I don't want any of your money. Now go on and get out of here and do whatever it is you have to do. As long as the girl doesn't _mind_ staying with me, she can stay until you return, and she'll be perfectly fine. She can play with the children." Alena turned to the girl. "Do you mind, dear?"

Vala glanced back at her father, who smiled and nodded. "She'll take good care of you, sweetie. Alena here is an old friend." The woman snorted.

"Well, all right..." Vala agreed reluctantly. "You promise you won't be too long?"

"I promise, sweetie." Jacek hugged her and planted a kiss on top of her head. "Go on. I'll be back soon."

Alena held out a hand, and Vala took it and let the woman lead her inside. She then promptly shut the door in Jacek's face.

"How do you know my dad, Miss?" Vala asked curiously.

She shrugged. "Oh, please just call me Alena. And from a long time ago. He knew my husband and I."

"Where's your husband?"

"Dead, dear, for a while now... but he sure left me enough children to take care of! Luckily, he also left me _this_ place." She waved her hand about, no doubt indicating the apartment and the tavern to which it was attached. "We get by. Now, dear, there's no need for you to be out in the tavern. I'll show you upstairs. My youngest is about your age; you should get along well enough for the short time you'll be here."

Alena brought her upstairs to where she and her children that were still young lived, and introduced her to her youngest daughter, who was just a year younger than Vala. They played with the younger girls' dolls for a while until Vala realized that it had definitely been longer than an hour or two.

She wasn't happy about it. Against the protests of her new acquaintance, Vala marched down the stairs and demanded to know where Jacek was.

"I can't tell you, dear," Alena apologized. "He'll be back when he's back. It's always that way with him."

"But he promised to be back soon! And I have to get home. I have lessons to practice before tomorrow..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I do have people working for me of course, but I can't leave. I have to watch the place, dear. I have my share of the work to do."

Vala ran back upstairs and fetched her bag. "I have to go," she told the girl who was waiting for her.

"Is your dad back?"

"No... but I'm going to go look for him."

The girl frowned. "But you gotta stay here until he comes."

Vala scowled. "No, I don't. Just don't tell your mother I'm gone, okay?"

The girl put her hands on her hips, looking a lot like Alena. "She'll see you leave. The only door besides the ones into the tavern is the one you came in."

"She won't see me. Please, just don't tell her? I'll come back and you won't get in trouble, I promise. Okay?"

She thought for a long moment. "Okay..."

Vala crept down the stairs after leaving the girl. It took several moments to find an opening, but finally she was able to slip behind a shelf to the door and get out unnoticed. It was a funny new feeling she got as she stepped out into the alley without having been caught. She found that she liked it. Smiling to herself, she walked out into the street.

The light from the sun was dimming, and the crowds were thinning as the day drew to a close. The vendors who'd spent all day hawking their wares to passersby were busy packing their goods into carts and wagons. Flickering lights glowed through the windows of the various shops and houses, their illumination cheery and welcoming in the growing darkness.

Pleased with herself for making such a clean escape, Vala allowed herself to explore the town as she had not been able to do by day. All of the interesting alleys, wells, statues, and booths were open to her now, unfettered as she was by the continual presence of her Daddy and his many pressing "places to be". Of course, the late hour meant that the various vendors' stalls which had caught her eye earlier in the day were now vacant, but there was still plenty more to see.

She had just finished climbing through an interesting-looking tunnel when she spotted a fluffy animal grooming itself atop a stack of crates. Thinking it looked like an excessively furry version of the cats guarding the granary in her village back home, she cautiously approached and extended her hand. As soon as the cat noticed her, it leapt off its perch and went racing down the darkened path between two buildings. Grinning with delight, Vala gave chase.

A burst of feminine laughter caught her ear as she was passing by yet another narrow entrance, bringing her up short out of curiosity. Peering around the corner, Vala discovered golden light spilling out of a doorway at the end of the narrow alley, and she found herself instantly drawn toward the source, forgetting about the cat. A male voice then spoke, and Vala jumped with surprise.

It was her Daddy!

Feeling immensely proud of herself for having found him on her own--conveniently ignoring the fact that the only reason she'd gone this way at all was because she had been chasing a fleeing feline--Vala bounded down the alley, intent on surprising Jacek with her remarkable tracking skills. As she neared the glowing entryway, her confidence began to erode. What if Daddy was mad at her for not staying with Alena? Who were these people he was speaking with, and would her Daddy get in trouble with them because of her?

"--I tell you, the look on his face when he discovered his Corudian chalice was gone was worth as much as the cup itself!" Jacek finished, obviously relating to his companions some humorous tale of his adventures. The conclusion of his story brought forth a fresh round of laughter from the other occupants of the room, and Vala's knees trembled as other male voices joined in the merriment.

Peering around the doorframe, she spotted a large, crackling blaze set inside a deep fireplace. A low table was placed in front of the fire, and several people lounged around it on plush cushions. One was instantly recognizable as Jacek--even though his back was to the door--but all the others were strangers.

One of the men was the fattest man Vala had ever seen--even bigger around than the baker back home. He didn't look as friendly as the baker, though, having a mean look about him despite the laughter currently shaking his jowls. There was a pretty woman on each side of him, leaning against him in seeming adoration. Behind him stood two broad-shouldered, thick-necked types, reminding the little girl of the oxen who helped the farmers plow their fields and haul their wagons to town. The remaining two men at the table were smallish, sneaky-looking people, calling to mind the tradesman who'd once tried to cheat her Mother out of two bolts of her best cloth. Each of the skinny men had a pretty girl at their sides, too.

"Well, look at the wretched little gutter rat," exclaimed one of the fat man's women, catching sight of Vala at the door. Instantly, Vala's hands fluttered to her face and hair, knowing without benefit of a polished glass that her explorations had resulted in dirty smudges on her cheeks and tangled knots in her hair.

All of the room's occupants now turned to look at her, and Vala found herself flushing under their scrutiny. "I j-just came to see if... if my D-Daddy was ready to go home, yet," she stuttered, tucking her grimy hands behind her back.

"Your Daddy?" echoed a striking blonde seated next to Jacek. "My little dear, I doubt a miserable scrap like you _has_ a daddy!" She laughed, and all the others around the table followed suit.

Even Jacek joined in, which caused Vala's cheeks to burn in humiliation. "These little gutter rats will try anything to earn a few coins!" he added loudly, causing a fresh round of laughter.

Shocked and betrayed, Vala turned and fled. Tears blinded her as she stumbled through the streets, her path nothing more than a darkened blur. Several times, she tripped and nearly fell, but she didn't allow any of those hidden obstacles hinder her flight. Finally, she found herself at the dead end of a narrow street. Sides aching and eyes burning, she turned her back to the wall and slid to the ground, propping her elbows up on her raised knees and crying into her arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry guys! We had a lot to do after I got back from writing camp, so I haven't had time to upload, lol. But here ya go. :) Enjoy and tell us what you think. ;) Thanks!

Chapter 7

Never in her life had Vala been hurt as terribly as the pain she now felt. It was horrible enough that those beautiful ladies had said such mean things about her and the way she looked, but her own Daddy... It was almost as though he'd confirmed every hateful word the spiteful boys in her school had said, as though she didn't even have a Daddy at all.

"A m-miserable scrap," she sobbed, echoing the beautiful blonde's words. "A-a wretched little g-gutter rat!"

After a long while, her humiliation turned to anger. What right did those people have to make fun of her? Sure, she wasn't the prettiest or the smartest person ever, but there was absolutely no cause for treating her the way they had! Curling her hands into small fists, she resolutely marched out of her hiding place, determined to go back and tell those

horrible people around her Daddy how rude and mean they had been to her.

Her righteous indignation quickly faded as she stepped out into the streets. How could a place which looked so bright and welcoming by day look so... _hostile_ in the darkness? Having never been on her own at night in a strange place--certainly not a place as strange as a completely different _planet_--Vala found herself jumping at shadows. She knew it was silly to be scaring herself with what-ifs, but the longer she wandered, the more nervous she became.

As the last of her anger drained away, she was left with nothing but her own insecurities. Fear won out over her adventurous spirit and loneliness defeated self-assurance, leaving her rapidly pulling in shaky, squeaky breaths. Just as she began to feel light-headed, the flickering glow of a torch appeared from around a corner.

"Mimbo!" Vala cried out, recognizing the vendor who'd sold the beautiful bag that she'd miraculously managed to keep a hold of, though it had slipped from her shoulder to the crook of her elbow.

The vendor paused, then lifted his torch higher. He then said something she didn't understand, and Vala suddenly remembered that he didn't speak the same language she did. Her Daddy had known how to talk to him in order to buy the bag, and Vala had found the whole process fascinating.

Thinking quickly, she held up the bag, hoping the man would recognize it. "Vala," she said, gesturing to herself.

"Mhembou," the man nodded, correcting her pronunciation of his name. He turned his head with deliberate slowness, as though looking for something. He rattled off an inquisitive-sounding phrase in his lilting language.

"I don't understand," Vala answered, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "I'm looking for my Daddy... Jacek. I'm... I'm lost, and I can't find him!"

Mhembou raised his free hand to his eyes as though shielding them from sunlight. He asked another question, miming a person trying to see something far away, then straightening and holding his hand first Vala's height, then well above his own.

Biting her lip, Vala realized that her inability to communicate with the man might mean he couldn't help her. "Do you know Alena?" she whispered.

"Alena?" He nodded and chattered something else while smiling broadly, and Vala's knees nearly sagged in relief. Making a "come on" gesture, Mhembou turned and began to walk in the direction in which he'd come.

Vala wasn't sure where the man was going, but she hoped he was leading her back to Alena's. Picking up her feet, she trotted after the vendor, hoping she might finally find somewhere that looked familiar.

Shortly after, a brightly-lit building appeared ahead, and Vala immediately recognized it as the tavern Alena owned. Throwing a "thanks!" over her shoulder, she raced past Mhembou and ran for the back door. She nearly collided with someone quickly stepping out of the tavern, but just managed to pull up short. Then she recognized him.

"Daddy!" she cried, leaping forward and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Vala!" Jacek exclaimed. He twisted around in her surprisingly strong hold and managed to go to one knee, returning the embrace. "Oh, sweetheart, I am _so_ glad to see you!"

Vala recoiled, pulling free of the hug. "Why did you say those mean things about me?"

"Mean things? Vala, baby, you were supposed to stay with Alena!"

She flushed in embarrassment. "I did, but then I came looking for you!"

"I left you with Alena because I didn't want the people I was going to see know that I had a daughter," Jacek answered, smoothing her wild hair back from her face. "I don't expect you to understand... you're too _young _to understand. I left you here to keep you safe, and you went out on your own anyway!"

"I-I was looking for you," Vala sobbed. She'd never before seen her Daddy angry, but he sure seemed angry now. "I w-wanted to go home. I want to go home!" She burst into tears again.

She was only vaguely aware of Mhembou speaking harshly to her Daddy, and Jacek's terse reply. Jacek's fingers tightened on her shoulder as he spoke, which served only to renew the bewildered little girl's tears. Finally, he grabbed her hand and began to pull her after him.

As exhilarating a ride as the first trip through the _chappa'ai_ had been, the second one was equally disorienting. On the other side, Vala fell and began to retch, quickly losing what was left of her lunch from hours ago. Furthering her confusion, the sun was still shining on her home planet. Jacek lifted Vala into his arms and carried her down the hill to their small house. Doran met them at the door, and Vala immediately dove for her mother's comforting embrace.

She wasn't sure how, but somehow she wound up undressed and in bed, sniffling out the last of her tears into her pillow while the muffled voices of her parents shouted beyond the door to her small room. Words she didn't understand were fired back and forth between the angry adults, words like "irresponsible", "kidnapping", and "slavers". Vala only remembered the words later because the sound of her parents arguing left them lodged in her brain.

Some time after the voices died down, the door opened, and Vala found herself clutching at her quilt as though shielding herself. Doran stepped into the room, took in the sight of the still-shivering Vala, and immediately rushed over to her bedside. "Oh, Vala, I'm so sorry," she breathed, enfolding her daughter in a tight hug.

"Is Daddy still mad at me?" Vala asked, face pressed against her mother's neck.

"He wasn't really mad at you, Vala, he was just scared," Doran soothed, her hand making hypnotic circles against Vala's back. "He was afraid he'd lost you out there, and that he'd never find you again."

"But Mhembou, the merchant found me," she whispered. "I didn't stay lost."

"Sweetie, not everyone is as nice as... Mimbo."

"Mhembou," Vala corrected, giggling a little. She'd mispronounced it the same way herself.

"Mhembou," Doran amended. "We were lucky he was such a good man, and helped you to find your father again. There are some people out there who would kidnap--_steal_ a beautiful little girl like you and take you far away."

She scowled, the words of the people in the same room as Jacek coming back to her. "I'm not pretty," she muttered. "They called me a gutter rat."

"Who did?"

"Those people... the ones who scared me." She wasn't about to admit that Jacek had been sitting among "those people". It still hurt too much.

"They just don't know you like I do," Doran declared, kissing Vala's forehead. "Now... Other than getting lost, did you have fun today?"

Hesitantly, Vala nodded. "Daddy and I went _everywhere_, and we even got you a few pretty things." Sitting up, she looked around for her bag, spotting it on the wooden shelf next to her bed. To her dismay, the bright threads had become smudged and dirty from her solo trek through the city.

She must have stared at it a little too long, as Doran gently cupped her chin and turned her head to meet her own gaze. "I don't need anything, Vala... I have what I want most."

"B-But we wanted to bring you some pretty things," Vala protested weakly.

"Vala, happiness is _not_ something you can buy," Doran insisted. "Somewhere along the way, your father seems to have forgotten this. But do you want to know what makes _me_ happiest?"

"What?"

"_You_ do," she answered, poking Vala gently in the arm. "The prettiest, happiest thing you could bring home to me isn't a ribbon or a piece of jewelry or anything you can buy; it's your own sweet, smiling self."

Her words had the desired effect, provoking a small, self-conscious smile from the little girl. "I think you make me happiest, too," she declared, throwing her arms around her mother's shoulders and hugging her tightly once more.

_You would think that getting lost and scared out of my wits would have put me off _ever_ wanting to go on adventures again, but I _did_ have a good time up until Jacek's associates made fun of me. I never told Mother what happened, though, and she never asked. It's possible she might have had a good idea or at least had part of the story related to her by Jacek, but I doubt he ever told her of _his_ part in my humiliation._

_One thing my mother knew well was how to make me feel better, and as always, she succeeded. At that point, I didn't know that I wouldn't have her for much longer. I had no idea that my father's ambiguities would become the least of my problems._


	8. Chapter 8

Whew, finally we're moved! Chapters should come a lot more quickly mow--for all my stories, lol. I hope so, anyway. Anyway, here ya go! :) Can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 8

"Why that—I can't believe—," Daniel sputtered.

Vala shrugged. "It's in the past."

"That doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt," he said gently, calming down. She looked away. "You said something about your mother... What happened to her? I don't think you've ever really said."

"That day was the beginning of it. I didn't really notice for another year or more, but it was."

"Was it some type of--"

"No." She cut him off before he could finish the question; she was still looking away at the far wall. "It was no specific disease. She was sick, but not because of infection. At least I'm relatively sure it wasn't, but then again that was a long time ago."

"Then...?"

Vala closed her eyes and sighed. "Daniel, Jacek was almost nonexistent in my first years. Then there were a few years when he showed up more often, but after that he sort of... faded out again, so to speak. And he was _never_ there _enough_. Mother had to keep both of us alive when he wasn't there, which was most of the time. She had to work enough to pay for most of our food, clothing, the tuition for my schooling... I suppose in the end it was too much for her.

"After that day... well, there were times when she seemed perfectly healthy, but she was never really herself--well, I shouldn't say that. Mother was always herself, right to the end. I admired that about her. Her spirit. It was what I loved most about her. I guess what I mean is that she was never as healthy as she had been. It all went downhill from there."

"Wow... I'm so sorry..."

Finally she looked at him again. "Don't worry about it. Is there any water?"

"What? Oh, yeah..." He turned and riffled through his pack, and drew out a water bottle to give her. "Here. But I have to tell you not to drink too much; we don't know how long we'll be in here."

"Right." She took the container, took a few sips and handed it back. He took one and put it away. "Sorry, I've been talking for a while."

"No, it's fine. We don't need to drink everything we have at once, but we don't need to end up dehydrated, either."

"Hmm."

She didn't say anything else, and Daniel looked at her in concern. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"Better, I suppose. Still horrible, of course, but better."

"I'm sorry; this is my fault."

"Daniel, I thought we'd been over this. This is not your fault. Under normal circumstances we'd have found some interesting old stuff by now and been back to the village. You couldn't have known there would be a cave-in."

"But--"

"No! No buts."

He sighed and scrubbed his eyes for a moment. "All right... I'll shut up if you keep going," he promised.

Vala grimaced. "Well..."

"What's wrong?"

"The next part isn't the most pleasant, that's all."

"So I gathered," he said quietly. "And believe me, I understand. Don't linger on it. Just tell me what happened... then when we get back to the SGC, I guess I'll tell you about my parents. But you have to stay with me until then. Deal?"

She looked at him for a long moment, and then weakly took the hand he held out. "All right, deal," she said reluctantly, and then stared at the ceiling.

Daniel nodded, "Good." Then he sat back quietly, waiting for her to be ready to continue. It took a few minutes, but finally she started again, slowly.

"Well... after that day was really when Jacek started to show up less and less. I never knew if it had anything to do with Mother's health or not, but I suppose it did. Maybe it scared him, or he didn't want to be responsible. I don't really know. Or maybe it was me. Maybe he didn't like the fact that I was figuring out what he really was. But I didn't see him much after that."

"Is that when you started treating him like you do?"

She sighed. "No... not exactly. As frustrating as he could be, Mother still loved him in her own way, and she never would have let me hate him. I was still mad at him when he left the day after he took me to Marinet the first time, but by the time he came back again I had forgiven him for that incident, and purposefully forgotten about it. I was still a child, after all. I wanted my father.

"When he did come around, taking me to Marinet for a day became a tradition. An incident like the first time never happened again. Either he made sure he didn't have any 'business' to attend to the day he took me, or he did a much better job of concealing it. Either way, he never left me with Alena again, though we did pay a visit to her and her younger children once in a while. I purposely ignored what had happened there, and that planet became a place of good memories for me--some of the last ones I had in the end. Of course I didn't know that tradition originated because whenever he did decide to show himself at home, Mother needed him to take me out so that she could rest for a day.

"Things went on like that until I was almost eleven, and it was too hard for Mother to hide what was wrong with her anymore. That was when Jacek _really_ disappeared. I think in the last year or so of Mother's life I saw him maybe twice... though sometimes we would wake up to find a bag with a small amount of money and trinkets sitting on the table in the main room."

* * *

_Whenever that happened it was another of those Christmas-like moments for me, though I wanted my father more than the cheap jewelry and promise of better food for a couple of weeks. For Mother, as I realized later, those days became more of a nightmare than any kind of happy time. I don't know if she didn't understand why he wouldn't come to see us, or if she did and that was what was hurting her so badly. But she only got worse; I think she died of a broken heart, Daniel, and I don't think I can ever forgive Jacek for that._

Vala crept down the hallway of the cottage quietly, wondering where the muffled sounds she was hearing were coming from. She passed her parents' room, and noticed that her mother wasn't in bed. Maybe she had gotten up early and was doing something in the kitchen.

It was still almost dark outside, and when she poked her head into the main room, the only light on was a small lamp on the table; the one she recognized as the carrying one Mother kept in her room.

Mother was sitting hunched over at the table. Her back was to her, but Vala could still see a familiar-looking bag sitting on the surface in front of her.

"Dad came?" she asked, running into the room.

Doran sat up in surprise, wiping at her face. "Oh...yes, Vala, he came," she said tiredly.

"Did you see him?" she asked eagerly. Her mother shook her head. "Oh..." That was when she really looked at her, and even in the dim light of the lamp she could tell that Doran had been crying. "Mother? What's wrong?"

Doran shook her head and pulled her daughter into her arms. "Nothing, Vala, I'm fine. I'm just tired."

Vala held on for a long moment "Mother... why doesn't Daddy ever stay anymore?" she swallowed.

"He's just very busy," she answered quietly. But she didn't sound convinced. A moment later she dissolved into a coughing fit, and Vala frowned in worry and tugged at her elbow.

"Mother... Come on, Mother, you should go back to bed. It's too early."

Doran caught her breath and nodded. She stood slowly. "All right, all right I'll go." She leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you, Vala."

"I love you too, Mother." Doran shuffled away and disappeared into her room, and Vala glanced at the bag on the table.

She left it where it was and went back to bed.

_The next day, I wanted to make sure Mother didn't do anything too strenuous, but she would have none of it. She made sure it was a good day. We went to town and bought meat, fruit, and even a few sweets with the money Jacek had left. We went home, and we cooked, did some work at the loom, went outside again to pick flowers for the table... Before I went to bed, she sat beside me and told me of her dreams again. She still believed in them, even then. I think she knew that she was running out of time._

_The next morning, she couldn't even get out of bed. _


	9. Chapter 9

Here ya go. I can't exactly tell you to 'enjoy' this chapter...I just hope you'll tell me what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 9

"Oh no..."

Vala nodded. "I took care of her at home for a few weeks. She wasn't always bed-ridden, but it became more and more often. Finally there came a point when there were no more days when she could get up and about at all.

"My twelfth birthday was a miserable occasion. I hadn't been to school for more than week because I had been taking care of Mother, and I suppose someone noticed. It was an off day, and that morning my teacher came with a couple of other people from the village to check on me. They discovered the truth about my mother. We didn't have a hospital or any real medical facilities of course; the closest we had was the village temple, where there were several Sisters with medical training.

"They moved her there for what little treatment they could give her, and with no other family present, I had to stay there, too. That was when I found out that my good friend Evan was the head priest's son. He'd never said anything about it, imagine that. But I wasn't angry with him. I suppose one wouldn't necessarily want everyone to know that if it were so."

"Oh. So...you haven't mentioned Evan since you told me about meeting him. You two became friends?"

"Right," she confirmed. "He was about four years older, so we weren't extremely close, but we were friends, yes. He was something of a protector until I was old enough to beat up the bullies myself," she smirked. "Not that he ever used force; that was the one part of me he never liked. It wasn't until Mother and I ended up at the temple that we became closer."

Vala's voice dropped almost to a whisper. "Mother held on for almost three months at the temple, but they couldn't do anything for her. In the end she just slipped away."

* * *

_A couple of the Sisters called me to my mother's room. Even then, it was obvious that it was hard for them to tell a twelve year old girl that her mother was dying. I don't think they even said that. They only told me that I should go see Mother that afternoon--stay for a while. But it didn't take long for me to realize what was happening. I'd seen it coming; I just didn't want to admit it was true._

Vala bit back the lump in her throat and knocked on the thin wooden door of the room her mother occupied at the back of the village temple. "Mother?" she asked, opening it just a little.

"Vala?" Doran called quietly from inside. The girl poked her head in. "There you are... thank goodness. Please, come here."

She closed the door behind her and moved to the side of the bed, where she knelt silently. Doran looked at her strangely and motioned for her to get up. "Not down there, silly, I want you up here with me." She smiled weakly and patted the mattress beside her. "Come sit."

Vala wasted no time crawling up beside her. She only hadn't done it at first because she was afraid of hurting her. Doran was pale and thin now. The only things that hadn't been taken from her were her smile and the sparkle in her eyes. It appeared less and less now, but it was still there, just beneath the surface where she saved it for her daughter.

"I love you, Mother," Vala said first, wrapping one of her hands around her mother's.

"I know," Doran whispered, and squeezed her hand. "And I love you so much... don't ever forget that."

"But--"

"Shh. Now listen to me." She looked into her daughter's eyes. "All right?"

Vala swallowed and nodded, and leaned closer.

"In a little while, I'll have to go. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes...but why?" the girl protested. Tears blurred her eyes again.

"I don't know why, Vala. These things happen, and it isn't anyone's fault. They just happen. It's time for me to go."

Vala sniffed. "You don't _want_ to go, do you?"

Doran's expression flickered with pain. "Of course not. I love you more than anything; I don't want to leave you."

"Then don't," she cried.

Doran lifted a trembling arm, and Vala leaned down so her mother could fold her into an embrace. "Oh, Vala, I can't change this... Believe me when I say that if I could, I would." She held onto her crying daughter for a long moment, taking in the scent of her skin and hair once again, incase it was the last time. "But this doesn't mean that everything is over," she said softly.

Vala pulled back and looked at her. "W-what do you mean?"

She covered one of the girl's cheeks with her hand and smiled at her. "I mean that your life will go on, my sweet one. Remember what I dream? You will grow up and become a beautiful, smart woman, and someday you will meet a man who will love you just as much as I do. You will have a wonderful life, and it will count for something. I still believe that for you. Don't let this stop that from happening."

"You'll see it," Vala protested futilely. "You'll be there. I'll make you proud, Mother. I promise."

"I know you will," Doran agreed, letting her arm fall again. "And one day I'll look down from heaven and see you with a big, happy family that's always there for each other--that love each other." She pushed the stray hair from Vala's face. "Something tells me that you have a bright future ahead of you. And I know you'll have the courage to weather the bumps and dips in the road."

Vala sobbed. "You th-think so?" she hiccupped.

"I know so. You've always been a brave girl. It will serve you well," she told her confidently.

"B-But I'm not brave! I'm scared, Mother... If you go, what will happen to me now?" she gulped.

"They'll take good care of you here until your father comes back." That seemed to trigger something she wanted to mention, because Doran turned her head more to make sure she had Vala's attention. "Vala... about your father..."

She blinked. "What about him?"

Doran tried to squeeze her daughter's hand again, but her strength was fading. "Just remember that he loves you... no matter how he may act. Many times he just doesn't know how to show how he feels. But I do know that he loves you."

"I know..." she nodded "I'll remember."

"Good girl." She smiled again, and made a motion that made it clear she wanted her daughter close again. Vala laid down beside her, wrapping an arm around her mother. Doran draped her arms around her, and whispered in her ear. "And never be afraid to dream, Vala. I've learned that sometimes dreaming is the only thing that can keep you going. Always dream."

_What? I'm fine._

_That was it, really, and I stayed with her. After a while we fell asleep like that. I woke up…and she didn't._


	10. Chapter 10

Again, sorry about the delay, but we lost power in the hurricane and such, lol. But we're fine now. I hope you're not too mad. :) Anyway, I hope ya'll are still around; can't wait to hear from you! Have a good day.

Chapter 10

Vala felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced at Daniel, barely. "Are you okay?" he asked. She had to remember that he knew how she felt, no matter how much she didn't want it to be true.

"I'm fine," she insisted again. She turned away to swipe at her eyes, but she knew she wasn't fooling anyone. Pain ribboned through her bruised midsection and made her lay flat again. Daniel's hand had never left, and she swallowed. "Really, Daniel….it was a long time ago."

She really looked at him when she was sure she had herself composed, and his eyes were moist. But he didn't have to say anything else about how she was, or about what she'd told him. They had known each other long enough that it wasn't necessary.

"Uhm…I think you're awake enough for now…if you want to take a break," he told her gently. "Or I can talk for a while."

Vala hadn't liked this at all at first; she'd only agreed because she figured he deserved some truth after all of the lies over the very few years since they'd met--and she hadn't really wanted to die. But now…well, maybe it was helping, though she would only admit to a little bit. But of course not out loud.

"No…it's all right. I'll keep going," she said after a long moment.

"Are you sure?"

"Will you stop questioning me?"

Daniel winced. "Sorry."

"Don't be; you're just being you," she assured him. He looked at her for a moment, and seemed to conclude that maybe that was a compliment. Good, because it was. She knew that he knew that she wasn't the type who was able to really _tell_ him how much she appreciated what he did, and how he was. Sometimes she wondered if he knew she knew, but by then it was already getting too confusing to think about much more.

There was a comfortable silence for a moment or so--something that wouldn't have happened even a year ago.

"So how long did it take for Jacek to come back?" Daniel asked eventually.

"Oh…not long, actually. But the whole time, part of me wondered if he would."

* * *

_I was all but despondent for a couple of days. I didn't know what to do with myself. While there, helping to care for Mother, I'd also been helping with the chores around the temple, insisting I had to earn my keep since I wasn't sick too. I stopped doing them. Of course Mother had insisted that I still go to school with Evan, since she was being cared for. I'd gone, but I hadn't been able to focus anymore. After she was gone I had no reason to go. I had no reason to do anything._

Vala sat curled in a window seat, looking down at the village. The temple was high enough that she could even just barely see her cottage from here. She didn't know when she had last moved from this spot, or when she had eaten. She didn't know the last time Evan or one of the Sisters had attempted to coax her to do one or the other. She wasn't even sure she'd said anything to anyone since Mother had gone.

She was getting tired of sitting here doing nothing, but she didn't know what else she was supposed to do. She knew Mother had told her to keep living her life…but she didn't feel like it yet.

Someone sat down next to her. When strong, warm arms wrapped around her shoulders from the side she knew it was Evan. Her eyes closed and she let her head drop on his shoulder.

"How are you doing?" he asked gently.

Vala shrugged. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"You shouldn't just sit here."

"I know…"

"Then why don't you come with me and get something to eat?"

She was silent for a long minute. "What's it like being sixteen?" she asked. "If I were older would it not hurt so much?"

Evan sighed. "I don't think that would change anything. She's gone, and you're going to miss her. I barely even remember my mother, but I still miss her. I'm sorry, I know that doesn't help."

"It's okay," she said quietly. "Thank you anyway. But…what's going to happen to me? Who is going to take care of me?"

"You still have a father," he reminded her. "He'll be back soon." Of course, he couldn't know that, but it helped to hear it anyway.

"But even when he comes back, he can't stay to take care of me. He has his…his _work_, whatever exactly it is," she said, making a face. "He isn't here much. You know that. So where will I live then?"

He smiled in an attempt to cheer her up a little. "Well, you will _always_ be welcome here. That comes straight from my father, too. And me. Don't worry so much. You will always have a place in this village. I'll see to it myself."

Vala managed a small half-smile. "Thank you."

Even hugged her tightly for a moment. "Now come on. It's almost time for supper." She let him tug her off the bench by the hand, and pull her down the corridor.

"All right…what are we having?"

_I did still worry, though. Part of me even wondered if Jacek even wanted me at all. To this day I don't really know. I've never been able to figure him out. He came back a few days later--like I said, not really that long. I was just starting to feel a little better then. I hadn't gone back to school yet, and Evan had stayed at the temple with me. We'd begun doing the chores together again. I found that it helped._

_I wasn't expecting anything new that day. Evan was running an errand, and I was washing the front windows from inside, in an alcove near the front doors of the temple. I could see the door, but it was hard to see me. _

_The bell rang, and one of the Sisters came to answer it, smiling as always when welcoming visitors. The smile disappeared immediately when the well-dressed man at the door asked where his daughter Vala was. Now, I know nuns aren't supposed to think badly of people and all of that, but I'm sure that woman wasn't thinking good thoughts about Jacek at that moment. _

Vala peeked out just a little--enough to really look at her father. Jacek was just inside the door, and it was first time she thought she'd actually seen him upset. Did he already know?

"She is here," the Sister confirmed.

"Daddy!" Vala ran from the alcove, around the Sister and wrapped her arms around Jacek's waist.

"There you are," he sighed, and the Sister closed the door behind them and left them as he bent down to hug her. "I bumped into that Evan boy in the village, and I heard what happened and that you were here…I'm so sorry, Vala…"

She buried her face in his chest. "Why weren't you here, Dad?" she demanded weakly. "Why?"

"I-I was trying make money, sweetheart, so I could bring it here for your mother, so she could get better. I didn't think--" He broke off there. He had no more excuses.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks for being patient ya'll, and here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. :)

Chapter 11

"What will you do?" Evan's father asked. The priest and the khan sat at a table in the kitchen of the temple, and Vala and Evan listened from just out of sight on the other side of the open doorway.

Jacek sighed. "Well, of course I'll stay here for now; Vala doesn't have anyone else to care for her on a regular basis. We'll be a little low on money until I can get back out and make some more…"

"Perhaps you could find a means of making a living enough for the two of you without going off-world."

"Tried that a few times a while back, but this place is just too small. There's nothing I could do here that suits me—much less anything I'd really be any good at."

The two children heard Evan's father clear his throat quietly. "There may be ways that we can help here…"

"No thanks. Thank you for watching Vala until I got back, but I think we'll be all right for now."

Vala sighed. "I guess we'll have to meet in the village from now on," she whispered.

Evan gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry; we'll still see each other at school."

"If I go back to school," she grumbled.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Mother always paid for it before…" she trailed, swallowing.

Evan shrugged. "Well, no matter what happens, I'll make sure that we see each other sometimes. I'll be here for you. That's what friends are for, after all."

Vala turned and hugged him. "I know. Thank you for everything, Evan."

* * *

Jacek put his bag down inside the door, and glanced around wistfully. "Well, it's certainly been a while since I've had a chance to be here."

"No, it's been a while since you've wanted to come here," Vala snorted. "You probably don't want to be here now."

"Oh, now why would you say that, sweetheart? You know Daddy loves you." He sighed, and his face truly showed some remorse. "I loved your mother, too. I want you to remember that."

She glared at him, still holding her own bag over her shoulder. "If you really cared about us you'dve been here." She turned on her heel and headed into the short hallway. "I'll be in my room."

Vala dumped her bag on the floor and crawled up into her bed. She had missed her home, and her bed, and her room. But more than anything she missed being here with Mother—and that would never happen again. The missing her mother seemed to hang over her like a cloud, and more than ever when she was away from Evan. Daddy couldn't help; he had never been here enough. He didn't know how to make her feel better besides buying her things, and she knew that wouldn't help now.

She didn't have the will or the energy to do anything but lie in her bed and miss Doran so much it hurt.

Jacek found her there a few hours later, almost asleep. It was late, but she just couldn't close her eyes. "Vala?"

She sat up halfway, back against her pillows. "What?"

Her father came in tentatively, and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I've been upset about your mother too, and I haven't paid much attention to what you need. Now I think what you need is to get off of this planet for a little while. It might help you feel better."

Vala shook her head immediately. "No, Daddy, I don't want to leave. I want to stay here. Mother is here," she whispered.

"Vala, this place will always be here for you, but right now I think it would do you some good to get away, just for a little while. I don't mean that you'll forget everything, but you'll be somewhere else, with other people. That could be good right now."

"But-but—"

"Don't fuss with me. Daddy knows best." He smiled and patted her knee. "We'll pack in the morning and go to Marinet for a few days. I'm sure Alena and the kids will be glad to see you." Vala tried to protest further, but Jacek got up to leave. "No be a good girl and get some sleep."

She had no choice but to obey.

The next morning, Vala kept her eyes peeled as they passed through the village, hoping to spot Evan. She had all but lost hope until they were on the path to the _chappa'ai, _climbing the last hill. Evan came flying over the rise to their left, from the direction of the temple. Vala convinced her father to slow down enough to le him catch up before they got to the ring.

"I thought you were just going to stay here," he said when he reached them, eyeing the bags they carried as he caught his breath.

"Oh, we'll be back," Jacek assured him. "I just thought it would be good to take her on a little vacation; cheer her up."

"I see," he said skeptically. "Then…I wish you well."

"Thanks, Evan," Vala sighed. "I'll see you later." His smile didn't help her keep from running straight back to the temple with him and forgetting her father for good. Part of her wanted to do it now. But she still loved Jacek.

The embrace of the _chappa'ai_ was as cold and blue as ever, though she had not felt it in a long while. But instead of making her fell better, the familiar sights and sounds and smells of Marinet made her want to cry even more the moment she stepped from the ring. "Come on, sweetie," Jacek encouraged. She could only follow.

_When he wouldn't listen to how I felt, and what I wanted…It should have helped me realize what kind of a man he really was. But I saw that he really did miss Mother. He was mourning in his own way, silently, and I felt for him. I was still too unstable myself to see the rest of the truth. _

_"What? No, he didn't run off immediately. We rented a tiny, cheap room, which was still a wonder to someone who had never stayed in a paid establishment before. In fact, except for the temple I had never slept anywhere but in my own bed before. And for the first couple of days, Jacek really did spend time with me—out of guilt, I suppose. It was an adventure for me, however small. I threw myself into it, trying to make it do for me what Jacek had said it would. _

Vala carefully examined the small vase, turning it over and over in her hands. The smooth blown glass was blue, and simple, yet pleasing design of wildflowers had been painted on the sides in pink and purple and green. She loved the piece, but Jacek had only given her so much money for the entire trip, and had told her to spend it wisely.

It was first time he had done such a thing, instead of buying what she wanted for her when she pointed it out. He said she needed to learn how to handle money for herself. She was all right with that; it gave her something to occupy her mind. Maybe he knew that. After all, her dad wasn't perfect, but he was still smart.

She had already walked around the marketplace comparing prices, and these were almost the cheapest, besides a couple of other vendors whose things she didn't like so much. She looked the small blue vase over again, and when she found no cracks or major flaws in the glass, she made her decision and paid the vendor what he was asking for. Her daddy had said that when she was a bit older he would teach her how to haggle with the vendors, but that she was too young to worry with it now. That annoyed her, but she tried to forget about it.

The woman thanked her, and Vala nodded, took her purchased vase, and hurried across the square back to where Jacek had been. He didn't make her stay next to him anymore, but he never went far.

He wasn't there.

Vala looked around for a few minutes, sure that she would find him elsewhere in the marketplace. It had seemed so large when she was nine, but now it was familiar, and seemed much smaller than before. She didn't begin to worry until she had searched the entire place twice, and not caught a single glimpse of him.

"Daddy?" she called, and peered into the various alleys just off the marketplace. She didn't venture into them, because since her first escapade through them she had been warned that they could be dangerous. But she also knew that, as much as she didn't like it, Jacek could sometimes be found deep within them, talking to someone or another doing goodness-knew-what. She had decided long ago that she didn't want to know.

Finally she spotted him across the way coming out of one of them, but she didn't realize until he was closer that he was running.

"Daddy, what wro—" But he was looking back and didn't see her there, and he almost ran into her. As it was, she brought him to an abrupt stop as he tripped over her feet, and Vala tumbled to the cobblestone ground, barely able to cradle her vase to keep it safe.

"What the—who…? Vala!" Jacek cried. Quickly he got to his feet and helped her up, but his movements were clumsy and rushed. "Sweetheart! I'm so sorry. Goodness, am I glad I found you. We should probably get going—"

But at that moment several men popped out from the alley he had exited, and surrounded them before Jacek could even turn around. Vala gasped, and Jacek whirled and backed up in front of her. Vala slipped her vase into her embroidered bag and clutched it close, fearing they were robbers. But they were on the edge of the marketplace. People could still see them, couldn't they?

But no one paid any attention.

"Don't move!" one of the men was shouting. Two or three of them had guns aimed straight at her daddy. Vala trembled behind him; she didn't have any idea what was going on at all.

"Where's the money?" the first one demanded.

Jacek held up his hands innocently. "What money? You must have me confused with someone else."

"The money you stole," the other man snarled. "We know who you are."

"Cough it up, or die. Your choice," one of the others smirked.

"I don't have anything of yours, if that's what you mean. Honestly."

The first one glowered. "Maybe it's been two years, but I usually remember a face that stabs me in the back and steals from me."

"You really must be confused," Jacek said again, laughing uncertainly.

The two closest to him primed their weapons. "I would reconsider your answer if I were you," the first one said menacingly.

Vala didn't know what came over her at that moment, but she had to stop this. It was obviously a misunderstanding. Before she could rethink her options, she jumped out in front of her father and shouted at the men.

"Leave my daddy alone! He didn't do anything to you; go bully someone else!" she fumed.

"What are you doing?" Jacek gasped in horror.

The first thug blinked, and then his eyes narrowed. "Who is this?"

"Oh, no one. Just—"

"His daughter," Vala said indignantly.

The other man was silent for a long moment, looking them over. Jack pulled Vala back to him and held onto her tightly. After another moment or so, the first man slowly pulled back his weapon. The others followed suit.

"Maybe I was wrong. It happens…occasionally," he said begrudgingly. "The man we're looking for is a loner. Apparently that wouldn't be you." They said nothing else, and the thugs dissolves back into the crowd. Jacek tugged vala into the opening of the nearest alley and spun her to face him.

"Why did you do that!" he scolded her. "You could have been hurt!"

She glared at him. "Why did you try to say I wasn't your daughter again?"

"I was trying to protect you. I you that you wouldn't understand."

"But I'm older now," Vala retorted. "And besides, I made them go away."

Jacek straightened, looking at her closely. "Yes…you did." A sudden look came into his eyes, a certain appraising sort of look that she had never seen before. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what it meant.


	12. Chapter 12

Whoops! Sorry guys that this chapter took so long, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work for a while, and everything was insanely busy around here. Ugh. Anyway, here ya go. Enjoy! Can't wait to hear from ya! :)

Chapter 12

Daniel felt the flash of anger immediately. "Wait. Don't tell me he—"

"Of course he did. You've seen him as he is now, and he was worse then." Vala crossed her arms tightly "He used me like another of his cheap tricks."

His face must have gone too pale, because even in the dim light they had she noticed something in his expression and quickly clarified. "He was still my father, Daniel; he never had me do anything too horrible or dangerous—not that he really thought, anyway."

"What then?"

She shrugged a little. "It was simple at first. Most days we would wake up and leave Marinet for some other commerce planet or temporary intergalactic flea-market, as you would call it on Earth. I didn't realize anything was different for a while, except that we were shopping elsewhere. In fact, the only thing that had changed was the fact that Jacek was using me a cover when we were in a shop so that he wouldn't seem suspicious and he could scope the place out. He would go back that night when I was asleep in our room on Marinet."

***

Vala's eyes popped open when she heard a thumping noise in her sleep. Wondering, she turned over to sweep her gaze across the room. She sat up when she realized that her father's bed was empty.

"Daddy?" She looked around quickly, anxiously, and finally spotted him near the door. But he was fully dressed, and looked like he had just come in.

"I'm right here, sweetie," he said reassuringly.

"Where were you?" she demanded.

Jacek came to her and sat on the edge of her bed. "I didn't mean to wake you, Vala. I just went to help some new merchants coming into town cart their crates to their booth." He held up a small leather bag and jingled the content. "See? They even paid me for it."

Vala scowled. "So you did leave." It wasn't a question.

He sighed. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm sorry, but you know there's no one to leave you with this late." He motioned behind him. "The door was locked; you were safe."

"So? Mother never would have left me alone…" Her voice caught, and she trailed off, staring at the cheap bedspread.

Jacek gathered her in his arms and squeezed. "I know, Vala, but I have to keep us alive. We need money."

"Then get a job," she mumbled into his jacket.

"Permanent jobs are hard to find these days. That's why we're here; so I can take temporary ones so we have money."

Vala sniffed and sat back. "You couldn't do that at home?"

"No, I can't. It's not a market planet. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but we'll have to stay here for a while."

She didn't want to, but what else what she supposed to do? She had exhausted every excuse to return home weeks ago. "Okay," she said softly.

Jacek patted her knee. "That's a good girl. How about this? Tomorrow you can go play with Alena's kids, and I'll run back to the house and bring some more of your things, since our stay here's going to be longer. Would that make you feel better?"

Vala perked up. "Why don't I just come with you?"

"I don't want to take too long, Vala; I'll need to start looking for something else to do for money once I get back."

She huffed, but didn't protest. "Fine." More than anything she wanted to see Evan, but by now she knew it was useless to try to get her way with her father anymore. She laid back down and pulled the covers over her again. "Good night."

Vala turned over away from her father, and Jacek took the hint and stood. She heard him go to the chest he kept at the foot of his bed and empty the bag that he had shown her into it. A few minutes later, when he must have thought she was asleep, she heard much more than a few coins being emptied into the chest.

She ignored what she knew it had to mean.

_Mother was gone, and Jacek had taken me away from Evan, so I suppose I wanted to pretend that this new life with my father was just fine. Even once I figured out where the money was coming from every morning, I pretended I didn't know. I pretended to believe him when he told me that he had been out gambling or on a short night job he had found. I didn't know what else to do_

***

Daniel sighed heavily. "That was only the beginning, wasn't it?"

Vala nodded and gingerly repositioned her back against the rock under her. "I ah…I hoped that would be all he would do, and that he'd find a real job soon or bring us home and get one there. Of course that didn't happen.

"He started to bring me with him when he went to khan trade deals with goods that didn't exist. For a while, it worked; no one suspected that anyone with an impressionable daughter my age would be trying to weasel them out of their money."

Her head fell back and she stared at the ceiling. "Eventually he realized that I knew what he was doing, but I didn't really talk about it, and neither did he. He managed to pretend he didn't know, and I managed to convince myself that it was okay to do what daddy wanted of me, because he was only trying to take care of me and he liked me better when I helped him anyway. It became a silent understanding.

"It just got worse from there. After a while Jacek seemed to remember my bravery when those men on Marinet had been threatening to kill him, and he put that to work, too. He stopped using me only a cover to stake out a heist, and instead brought me with him _on_ the job."

Daniel shook his head to himself at Jacek's absurdity, and tentatively took her hand in comfort. He felt her squeeze just a bit, and knew she didn't mind even though she didn't look at him.

***

_That began in back alleys, meeting people and using me to proverbially disarm them, then sending me into the market or elsewhere while he robbed them. But he wasn't that cautious forever. Eventually we graduated to larger jobs, and we actually pulled off a few good ones. Even though, because of my mother's values, I grew to hate myself for going along with it, I have to admit that part of me enjoyed it—pulling it off. I suppose that's why I resorted to that way of life later. It's all Jacek ever really taught me. _

Vala hung back a little from her father, wondering with a certain familiar type of dread what he was up to on this trip. She knew enough by now to realize that the only reason he took her out anymore was to steal something in one way or another. She hated it…but Jacek was her daddy, and she had no one else now.

She still loved him, and she had no choice but to help him make money to support them his way.

Jacek motioned her forward, and she edged up to him in the brightly-lit corridor. The building they were in was one of the largest she had ever seen, on one of very few worlds she had ever been on with any real technology. Vala had heard her father talking to people in recent days about a valuable artifact that sat in some type of public office here, and she supposed that was what he was after this time. Of course, he never really told her his plans.

He'd never admitted aloud to her that he was merely a thief, and probably never would. She had figured that out long ago, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"What is it, dad?" she asked.

"Daddy's going to look at something for a minute. If I'm not back soon, go to the front desk and wait for me, all right?" That was code for _Distract the people up front so he could steal something or scope out the security system so he could come back later_. Not they had any such code, because Jacek seemed to prefer pretending that he was still fooling her, but by now she always understood exactly what he meant no matter how he put it.

For now, she didn't exactly mind it, because if he were ever caught no one would ever be able to prove that she had ever known about anything her father was doing. As much as she still loved him, she had no desire to go to jail with him—or die.

Vala sighed a little and nodded. "Okay."

Jacek ruffled her hair a little and moved off. "That's my girl."

_No, that's your accomplice_, she thought bitterly.

When her father disappeared around the corner, Vala headed straight back for the lobby. There was no point in waiting; she knew what he wanted her to do.

A young woman sat at the front desk, jotting things on scattered papers, picking up envelopes that appeared in a slot in the wall her, and answering questions asked by people who stopped by the desk. It seemed she was distracted enough without a child bothering her, but it was Vala's job to make sure that she didn't look at the small bank of primitive screens beside her, which were displaying dark and grainy almost real-time footage from bulky surveillance cameras that were mounted near the ceiling in most of the public rooms of the office building.

Vala already had a bad feeling about this job because of the cameras. They'd never been anywhere that had anything like them. She wouldn't even know what they were called if Jacek hadn't told her a few minutes ago when she'd asked.

Vala bounded up to the side of the desk, and waited until the man speaking to her left. "Excuse me." At first there was no response, as the woman wrote something down. The girl cleared her throat and tried again more loudly. "Excuse me?"

The woman looked up quickly. "Oh! I'm sorry. May I help you?"

Vala knew she looked younger than she was because she hadn't hit another growth spurt yet, and she used that to her advantage and kept her voice as young-sounding as she believably could. She adopted a frightened expression and threw her eyes open wide.

"Have you seen my daddy? I can't find him."

"Honey, this place isn't really all that big; I'm sure you could find him if you looked again. I'm very busy, and—"

She let her lower lip quiver. "B-but I'm scared, I haven't seen him in a little while, and I-I don't know where he is, and I'm scared. Can you please help me?"

"I don't know what your father looks like, dear."

"I can tell you! I just don't wanna go look for him by myself; I'm scared," she said again.

The woman sighed. "I really need to finish what I'm doing. Why don't you go sit over there, and I'll come help you when I'm done?"

Vala pouted. "Okay…" She acted like was going to slink off to the chairs against the wall, but instead she hung around the desk, asking some sort of question or making a comment whenever it seemed like the woman might turn around and look at the screens. From where the girl was standing she could see the display, but it was positioned so that most people passing through the lobby wouldn't see the screens. Vala, though, could see Jacek on one of them. Because of the bad quality of the video she wasn't sure what he was doing, but she was sure it would look suspicious if the woman saw.

Right now Vala's goal was to make sure her father didn't get them killed on this little escapade.

A few minutes later Jacek disappeared from the screens, and the woman was exasperated. "Listen, little girl, could you _please_ go sit down for a minute? I'm almost done."

"Sorry…" Vala trailed off and backed away, and that was when Jacek strolled back into the lobby. The bag on his shoulder didn't appear any bigger than before, so she assumed this would be a night operation. "Daddy! She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She grinned back at the woman at the desk. "Nevermind. I found him."

The woman breathed a visible sigh of relief and went back to her work, and Vala followed her father out of the building.

Jacek gave her shoulder a squeeze as they left. "Good girl," he smiled.

Vala just sighed and followed him back to the main street.

That night Vala convinced her father to let her stay in a local bookstore that stayed open late instead of going back to Marinet while he 'did a little business.' The bad feeling hadn't gone away, and she didn't want to be on another planet when Jacek did whatever he was going to do.

At first everything was fine. Vala sat in a soft chair near the back of the shop and read a book, and every now and then one or two customers drifted in and out despite the late hour. She consciously listened to everything outside, hoping she wouldn't hear what eventually broke out in the square.

It was some type of commotion, and she was almost certain that she knew what it was about.

Vala shoved the book back on the shelf, pulled her bag over her shoulder, and hurried outside. She looked around anxiously, hoping she was wrong. "Dad…?"

Some type of siren was sounding from the direction of the public office building, and the few people still out on the streets were looking about in alarm; they didn't have any idea what was happening.

Something shot out of the shadows beside the bookstore, grabbed her arm, and kept going. She resisted the urge to shout when she realized it was Jacek.

"Daddy, what happened!" she whispered loudly as they ran on, back in the direction of the chappa'ai.

"Uhm, some of the men I was trying to…do business with…they angry got with me, sort of. Sorry, sweetheart, just keep running!" In the dark she couldn't see whether he had claimed his prize or not, and she didn't really care either way. They already had enough money for a while, and she wanted to get off of this planet in one piece.

They were almost to the chappa'ai when something whizzed past them from behind. In front of them, shards of brick exploded from the corner of a building. Vala heard a pop behind them, and rocks were tossed up from under their feet.

"Are they _shooting_ at us!"

Jacek suddenly looked worried, and he pushed her forward in front of him. "Go, go! Hurry, Vala!"

Their quick paced turned into a run, and more pops behind them heralded the small explosions of dirt, rock, and brick around them as they headed from the stone stairs that led down away from the town and straight to the chappa'ai platform. They reached the top of the steep stairs, and it appeared as if they were going to get away. They only had to run down, dial, and go through.

But then something slammed into the back of her shoulder.

Vala shouted, but she barely had a chance to register the pain flooding the right half of her body before she realized that she was falling forward. In the space of less than a second she felt her body slam onto the stone steps and continue downward, tumbling end-over end.

She heard Jacek above her, screaming her name, following but not fast enough. Finally she hit the bottom, landing hard on the stone platform with her right arm twisted under her body.

Vala felt something crack and break in two, and her own scream was the last thing she heard before everything went black.


	13. Chapter 13

Urg, I had this done earlier yesterday, but you might have noticed that ffn was glitching and nobody could log in. *sigh* Anyway, here ya go, finally! Really sorry; I had to figure out exactly how I wanted to do happens in the plot here. I couldn't decide, lol. So I hope you enjoy it; let me know what ya think! (If you're still here. :P)

NOTE/QUESTION: I'm thinking about another installment in my Time After Time series, the one in the future with Daniel and Vala and their family...I had a couple stories focusing more on their daughter Janet, and now I've got ideas for one with their son Charlie--maybe another one for Adrian, too, while of course still about our favorite SG-1 characters as well! Just like the others in the series. Anyone interested?

Chapter 13

Vala wasn't sure how long she was out before she woke again, but she knew that the world was a blur for a while. She felt the pain, a little, in the back of her mind, but mostly she only saw the black. She only remembered a few things, like the cold rush of the rushed trip through the chappa'ai, being laid on her bed in their room on Marinet…or at least she thought it was Marinet…

After that she only heard the voices, fading in and out with time and consciousness, and she wasn't sure whether they were real.

Her daddy's frantic voice, _Stay with me, Vala…getting help, stay with me!_

She heard a soft male voice she didn't recognize. _Sir, I don't know if you realize…this child…been shot…might not make it…sorry…_

_Sweetheart, I'm so sorry…so sorry baby…_she heard her daddy crying, but she couldn't tell from where.

Alena's voice, _Jacek, what have you done!_ The small voices of Alena's children beside her, murmuring softly, maybe praying. Jacek eventually making them leave.

It seemed like a long time before she could open her eyes. When she finally pried them open and started blinking, she only saw the dull wooden ceiling above her bed on Marinet. _We didn't go home…_Her heart sank. If her being injured hadn't prompted Jacek to take them back home, what would?

"Dad…?"

She heard him then, turning over in his own bed. It wasn't until she started to turn her head to see that she really noticed the sling her left arms was in, and the bandaged wrapped around her back and left shoulder. It hurt to move anything of her upper body on that side.

"Ow, ow, ow," she hissed, and then called louder. "Daddy!"

Jacek almost jumped, and tumbled out of the bed in a fit or wakefulness. "Wha-!"

She would have laughed if she wasn't sure that would hurt.

"Vala!" her father was at her side immediately, gripping her hand on her good arm tightly. "Hi, sweetheart. I'm glad you're awake. How do you feel?"

"Bad." But that was all she would admit to.

Jacek sighed. "Right. I know. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry about this whole thing—"

"It wasn't your fault. You didn't shoot me," she retorted.

"No, but you're a little girl; you shouldn't have been shot at in the first place!"

She scowled. "I'm not that little anymore."

He swallowed and blinked heard a few times. "Vala, you…you've been s-_shot_, and you want to argue about whether you're still a child?"

"Well I'm not."

He groaned. "Please, not now. Just…just not now." He got up quickly and went to the table. "Alena left some food for you…for when you woke up. It's not warm anymore, but it's better than anything I could make." He paused for a moment. "Oh! Wait, right, you shouldn't get up. Uhm, just a minute, I…" He wavered in the middle of the floor for a moment before coming back to her.

"Do you think you can sit up?"

She nodded. "It's just my shoulder, dad."

"_And_ your arm."

"So?"

Jacek sighed and carefully slipped an arm under her shoulders to support her back while she pushed up with her good arm. It still hurt enough, but she supposed that was really as good as it was going to get right now. She still couldn't keep from letting out a little cry.

"I'm sorry!" Jacek said quickly.

She shook her head a little. "It's okay…I'm fine." He pulled one of the pillows up behind her and leaned her back against the headboard.

"There…Is that all right?" She nodded wordlessly, and he went to get the food. He came back with a bowl of some kind of stew. It wasn't warm so she couldn't smell it, but she knew that if Alena made it then it was good. Jacek, though, didn't seem to know what to do with the food.

"Just give it to me," she said finally. She waved the hand of her broken arm a little to show that she could still hold the bowl with it, and he apologized again and set the bowl in her lap for her. He moved about the room restlessly while she ate.

"Did you even get it?" Vala asked after a while.

Her father stopped in his tracks where he'd been pacing. "What?"

"Whatever you were trying to do," she said evenly. "Did you get it done?"

"I, uhm…no," he said distractedly. She could tell he was trying to figure out from that how much she knew, and she wondered when he would realize—or admit he did if he had already—that she knew what he was.

She couldn't blame him for it, exactly. She supposed it was simply what he knew how to do, and they did have to stay alive. She didn't even blame him for the accident.

She wasn't really sure _how_ to feel about any of this, beyond that.

"Oh," was her only reply.

* * *

Jacek stayed home with her for nearly a week, and it was the most uncomfortable week of her life as far as Vala could remember. He went out to bring back food and small amusements—games he bought that they could play while she sat in her bed because he wouldn't let her out of it except to use the bathroom. It was the most protective she had ever known him to be.

It was uncomfortable because they didn't know what to say to each other. Vala could tell that he felt guilty, but she was too uneasy to tell him that it wasn't his fault, and even through all of that somehow she could sense that he really wanted to be somewhere else.

Ever since she could remember, no matter how little time they spent together or what he did, she had always felt some kind of connection with her father…But now, for the first time, she felt the small comforting connection wavering.

For the first time in her life she was realizing how large the gap between her and Jacek really might be.

By the time the week was over she could walk just fine, without much pain in her shoulder, and the older man, the doctor—the previously unrecognized voice she had heard in the haze—had come over twice more to check on her. The first time he had been surprised she had made it, but now he seemed glad at her progress in recovery.

"This girl is a fighter," the kindly old man had said before he left the last time. "The arm will finish healing nicely; though whether she'll regain full range of motion in the shoulder is in question. Either way, I'm sure she'll be just fine."

Now it was the day after that and Jacek was herding her carefully through the streets toward Alena's place. She assumed it was because she couldn't go out with him until she was completely healed.

"What do you have to do now?" she grumbled passively.

"Just a few things," Jacek said quickly. "Then…"

She blinked up at him when he trailed off uncertainly. "Then what?"

He slowed to a stop in the alley outside of Alena's back door and turned to face her. "Then I think we'll go home."

Immediately Vala couldn't enough air for the joy filling her chest. "Home? Really?"

Her father nodded. "You've been out here long enough," he said, fingering the strap on the sling she wore.

Vala chose to ignore that. "What about money though?" she asked quietly.

"Well…I suppose I can find jobs that don't take me away for so long at a time, and I can find someone else to watch you at home."

Vala grinned and excitedly wrapped her good arm around his waist. "Thank you, Daddy!"

* * *

Jacek left her at Alena's all day, and two more after that. The fourth morning he looked a little nervous about something, but she was too excited to do more than brush it off because he had promised that when he returned to pick her up that afternoon they would be heading home. They packed everything before they left for him to drop her off at Alena's, and Vala all but skipped through the streets.

She _would_ have skipped if she hadn't known it would hurt her shoulder.

All day she waited restlessly, unable to focus on the games Alena's children wanted her to play with them. Her oldest was a boy about Evan's age, which only served to make her more anxious to get home. No, home no longer meant Mother…but it meant the house she had grown up in, her own room, and Evan.

It meant Evan.

Vala was surprised by how hard that thought hit her, and by how fiercely she believed it. It seemed as if the boy had come to mean even more to her while she was gone than when she had been able to see him every day.

By the time the knock came that afternoon she was down in the kitchen pacing by the door and had refused to leave the spot in more than an hour. She flung the door open the moment she heard it. "Daddy!" She hugged him immediately with her good arm.

Jacek smiled tiredly, "Hey, sweetheart. Let's go."

Vala called for Alena, who gave the girl's father a suspicious look before sending Vala on with him.

"And you're welcome any time, dear," she repeated.

"Thank you!" Vala followed her Daddy away from Alena's excitedly. "Where's our stuff, daddy? Do we have to go back to the room and get it? Then we're going home, right?" she asked, bouncing up and down.

"Yes, we're going home then, but we do have to go back to the room first." Jacek slowed to a stop just inside the entrance of one of the wider alleyways and took her hand to pull her back to him, as she had been skipping ahead. "Just a minute, sweetheart."

"What is it?  
Jacek came down on one knee, at eye level with her, and held a hand on her uninjured shoulder. The other he hugged around her waist, making sure she was looking at him. "All right…do you remember that you wanted me to find someone to watch you so that you could stay at home?"

Vala nodded eagerly. "Right."

"Well, see, that's what I've been doing. I've been looking for someone to take care of you."

"Really? Here?"

He nodded. "The village at home is so small, we know most everyone. I already knew there wasn't anyone there who could do the job."

"Oh…okay. So did you find anyone?"

Jacek smiled a little, but it didn't reach his eyes, and that was the first warning that she might not like what was coming. "In fact, I did. I found a nice lady. She recently lost her job, because things are getting a little rough around here, I suppose. Anyway, she's going to come back and…stay with us. And watch you when I'm gone."

Vala's eyebrows shot up. "Stay with us? Like live with us? Like…a governess?" She had heard of rich families who had someone live with them just to take care of the kids. There were no families rich enough in their village, or anywhere on their planet really, but there were stories from the chappa'ai, and she had seen children here on Marinet with such hired women.

"Uhm, sort of."

"But how can we afford that?"

Jacek winced. "Well, there's more too it than that. She's not exactly a governess."

"Then what is she?" Vala demanded.

"Now Vala, I know how you might feel, but I wanted to make sure you would always be taken care of, because you know Daddy loves you and wouldn't want anything to happen to you. So I did this for you, understand?"

She blinked. "_What_, Daddy? What did you do?" Suddenly there was a knot in her stomach, and she was sure she didn't want to know the answer.

"Well…I married her."

Vala jerked back immediately, but it wasn't enough to break his hold on her. "You _what_! B-but you can't be married to anyone else! What about Mother!"

Jacek grimaced uneasily. "People are perfectly free to remarry if something happens to their husband or wife, Vala. I'm sorry; I know you might not like this, but it was the only way—"

"No it wasn't!" She struggled against him, shock coursing through her veins. Daddy had gotten _married_? To _another woman_ besides Mother?

Jacek fought back, trying to keep her where she was. "Vala, listen to me! It's not as bad as it sounds; she won't try to be your mother, I promise. No one can replace your mother."

"Then why did you get _married_!"

"So you would be safe!"

"Let me go!"

He didn't. "Calm down, sweetheart. It'll be fine."

"Let me GO!" Vala jerked one more time, as hard as she could, ignoring the flash of pain in her injured arm. It worked, and she was free of her father's grip. She backed up against the opposite alley wall, glaring at him.

Jacek, to his credit, didn't come to grab her against. He stood up where he was and pleaded with her. "Vala, please. I just want you to be able to stay home where you want to be, but in a way that still lets me provide for you. Don't you want to go home?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "But—but not with her, whoever she is. I don't have to have another mother! I can stay with Evan. He and his father said so."

"Sweetheart, you're only twelve. That would be a long time for them to take care of you until you're old enough to take care of yourself. I can't impose on them like that."

"I'm not twelve," she said indignantly. "I'm thirteen."

Jacek raised an eyebrow. "Not until next month."

Vala scowled. "It's not next month. It's_ tomorrow_! So I might as well be thirteen."

He looked a bit sheepish at having mixed up the date, but he continued to argue anyway. "Whether you're twelve or thirteen doesn't make much difference. You can't live at the temple."

"Yes I can!" she cried. "I don't want another mother!"

"Sweetie…she won't be another mother. Like I said, she can't replace your mother. She's already told that that she doesn't want to. No one could," he repeated.

"But…b-but…" She thought as hard as she could, but could come up with no other valid excuses. She only knew was against the whole idea. "But…" She trailed off, defeated for the moment.

Jacek came to her then, took her hand again, and led her on down the alleyway toward their room. She went despondently.

"So she's waiting in the room then?" she asked dully, after another moment.

"You've got it. Come on, Vala. I promise everything will be just fine. You'll see."

_What? Oh, yes, of course it was Adria's namesake—that witch of a stepmother of mine. Be patient, you'll hear all about her wonderful parenting skills soon enough. I certainly didn't name the Ori progeny after her without reason. But on with the story…_

There was a women waiting for them back in the room, all right, but she was much prettier than Vala had imagined. The woman was thin and of average height, and it was hard to see her face until she stopped pacing, what with the virtual glare from the head of thick, bright blonde hair that hovered around what the girl thought would have been a perfect face but for the scowl it wore.

The women stopped wearing a trail in the floor and suddenly smiled brightly, the moment she saw Vala's father.

"Jacek! Oh, there you are!" She glided to his side and draped herself over his arm. "I was so worried! You took to long. I thought all you had to do was pick up the girl from Alena's."

"Exactly," Jacek agreed, turning on the charm. Vala could help but notice it was the same smile he used to swindle his customers. "It just took a little longer than I thought, that's all. We're fine. Come, let's get going."

The women glanced down at Vala and smiled tightly, almost grimacing at the girl before turning an only slightly truer smile back to her new husband. "Of course. I can't wait to see your beautiful home."

"You'll just love it!" Jacek told her grandly. "I know we do."

Vala rolled her eyes as he overdid it.

"Anyway, Adria, this is Vala. Vala, this is Adria."

Adria almost grimaced at her again. "So pleased to me you." But she didn't hold out a hand; she kept her two-armed grip on Jacek's arm, and sarcasm practically screamed from her tone even if Jacek didn't seem to notice it.

Vala suddenly felt sick. What had Daddy gotten them into?

* * *

The trip home was miserable and mostly silent, though because of the chappa'ai at least it really only lasted a few moment—getting to the ring, going through, and walking down through town and then out to their cottage. But she didn't see Evan on the way to the house. She hoped she could get to him soon.

Still, no matter how bad it seemed now, seeing the house soothed her in a way she couldn't begin to describe. This house meant Mother, and Mother would always be here in some way.

The only one who had really spoken the whole way was Adria, who chattered awkwardly and enthusiastically about something or another. Jacek answered her sometimes, but the charm didn't really stay on for long, and Vala began to realize that there was a weariness about him that she had never seen before.

But she wasn't about to worry or ask him about it; she was too angry with him.

"Here it is!" Jacek proclaimed, motioning to the cottage with a grand sweeping motion as it came into view.

Adria just stared. "I thought you said you had a _house_."

The anger grew, now directed more at the woman. "We _do_, and we're _proud_ of it," she retorted immediately.

The woman, however, said nothing; just glared at the cottage as if it were offensive while Jacek all put pulled her toward it and tried to calm her silent anger.

"Now, Adria, everything will be _fine_, I promise. A few more jobs, and I'll have enough to dress it up some more. It really is a nice house, and it _is_ bigger than your apartment back on Marinet—"

"Yes, Jacek, I can see that," she snapped. She studied the cottage with narrowed eyes for another minute, while Vala studied her in annoyance with crossed arms. "I suppose it will do for now," Adria huffed finally.

"There, see? That wasn't so hard."

"We will see," Adria growled.

Vala sighed inwardly; this whole situation was looking worse by the moment. She hated that woman, and she was sure that would never change.

She stalked to her room the moment Jacek opened the front door, carrying her only bag and her embroidered purse over her shoulder. She dropped them on the floor beside her bed and crawled up under her own covers; it was already late, she was tired, and she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in her own bed and forget that Adria existed.

* * *

Vala woke the next morning to shouting from the front room, but she wasn't surprised that Daddy was fighting with the wretched women. What was he thinking? How would this make anything better even if he _did_ come home more often?

She dressed quietly, and pulled out her wooden box from under her bed to get her favorite set of ribbons to tie around her pigtails, the blue ones. Maybe they would give her some comfort; they had been her mother's favorite. Doran had always loved her pigtails, and she had always said that even though Vala's eyes had faded mostly to gray that the blue ribbons brought out what was left of the blue they had been when she was a baby.

What surprised her was when the incoherent yelling stopped. Curiously, she crept out from her room and down the hall to the main room.

Adria sat at the table there, sated and admiring a small handful of coins and golden chains from the chest Jacek had left in the bank back on Marinet.

And the front door was closing on her father.

Vala bolted out the door after him, hoping he was only going to town even while something told her that wasn't it at all. "Dad! Daddy, where are you going!" The sinking feeling in her gut tightened when she saw him halfway down the path to the dirt road, his heavy bag over his shoulder.

Jacek turned around and smiled. "Vala! I didn't know you were awake, sweetheart; I didn't want to bother you."

"Where are you going?" she repeated, frozen just outside the door as it closed behind her.

"Oh…honey, I've got to go back to work. You know that."

"But…we just got home. Can't you stay for a few days?" She'd told herself she'd wouldn't really talk to him, much less beg anything of him, until he apologized for marrying another woman…but the desperate request slipped out before she could stop herself.

"I can't, sweetheart." He came back up the path and set his bag down. "Hugs for Daddy?"

Again Vala acted without thinking, throwing her arms around him immediately and squeezing as tight as she could manage. "No, you can't go! You can't leave me with that woman!"

"Vala, I told you she won't try to replace your mother, but she is your stepmother now. So listen to her, all right? But I'm sure it'll be fine. She just has to get used to this just like you do."

"But she's _mean_."

"No, she's just adjusting. Please try to be nice. I know you."

She buried her face in his chest. "But…" She realized that her chest was aching, and coughed out a dry sob into Jacek's shirt. "Please," she said weakly. First Mother left, now Daddy again…and he was leaving her with a women she didn't know! How could everything be going so wrong?

Jacek kissed her forehead and let go. "You'll be fine," he repeated. "Daddy loves you, but he's got to go now, all right?"

"But, but…" she whispered. She was sure he couldn't hear her, but the lump in her throat now wouldn't let her get any louder.

Her father slung his bag up again and started down the path. "I'll be back soon; I promise!"

But that didn't matter; he was still leaving…and suddenly she had a feeling he wouldn't be back as soon as he said.

Vala was frozen until Jacek was almost over the hill out of sight, but before she could call to him one of her blue ribbons slipped loose in the breeze and fluttered away after his fading form.

"No!"

She lurched forward after the ribbon, but in seconds it had disappeared along with her father.

Vala stumbled to a stop by the road, at the end of the path from the cottage. "No."

The ribbon was gone, Jacek was gone, and even though she had just reminded him yesterday he hadn't remembered what today what.

"Happy Birthday, Vala," she muttered tearfully.

It was already even worse than the last one.


End file.
